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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


N    L  W     YORK 


ST.  HELENA 


AND 


THE  CAPE  OF  GOOD  HOPE : 


OB, 


INCIDENTS  IN  THE  MISSIONARY  LIFE 


REV.    JAMES   M'G.REGOR    BERTRAM, 

OF     ST.      HELENA. 


BY  REV.  EDWIN  F.  HATFIELD,  D.D., 

PASTOR    OF    THE     SEVENTH    PBESBYTEniAN     CHURCH    IN     THE     CTTV    OF 

NEW   YORK. 


2Uftj)  an  iJiitrotmctfoir, 
BY  REV.  GEORGE  B.  CHEEVER,  D.D., 

PASTOR   OF   THE    CHURCH    OF   THE    PURITANS,    NEW   YORK. 


SECOND    EDITION. 

NEW    YORK: 
PUBLISHED  BY  EDWARD  H.  FLETCHER, 

L41   NASSAU    STREET. 

1853. 


Entered,  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1852,  by 

EDWARD  II.  FLETCHER, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern  District  of  New  York. 


N.    V.    STF.JiroiiTE   ASSOCIATION, 

201  Willium-street. 


DT 

67  I 

■baH 


a*1 


TO    THE 


FRIENDS    OF    MISSIONS, 


OF    VARIOUS    EVANGELICAL    CHURCHES    IN    THE    UNITED 
STATES,  WHO    HAVE    SO    NOBLY    RESPONDED    TO 


MR.    BE  R  T  R  A  m's    APPEALS, 


AND  SO  GENEROUSLY  CONTRIBUTED  TO  THE  ERECTION 
OF  CHURCHES  ON 

"2Ti)c   llocfe  of  tijc   Ocean, 

THIS  HUMBLE  MEMOIR  IS  AFFECTIONATELY  INSCRIBED  BY 

THE     AUTHOR. 


; 


PREFACE. 


To  those  who  have  heard,  from  the 
lips  of  the  Rev.  James  M'Gregor  Ber- 
tram, of  St.  Helena,  the  particulars  of  his 
missionary  experience  at  Table  and  Sal- 
danha  Bays,  in  the  South  of  Africa,  and  on 
the  Island  of  St.  Helena,  no  apology  need 
be  offered  for  the  publication  of  this 
memoir.  It  has  been  written,  in  compli- 
ance with  frequent  and  pressing  solicita- 
tions on  the  part  of  many  of  his  hearers, 
who  regard  his  statements  as  worthy  of 
more  than  the  fleeting  publicity  of  a  pul- 
pit address,  and  who  desire  some  lasting 
memorial  of  a  visit,  which  they  will  ever 
remember  with  pleasure. 


11  PREFACE. 

Mr.  Bertram  came  to  this  country  in  the 
year  1850,  landing  at  Boston  on  the  10th 
of  July,  and  has  visited  numerous  places  in 
the  New  England  States,  New  York,  New 
Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and  else- 
where, in  the  prosecution  of  his  work  of 
benevolence.  Six  thousand  dollars  were 
wanted  for  the  erection  of  two  mission 
chapels,  and  the  removal  of  a  mortgage 
upon  another,  in  the  Island  of  St.  Helena, 
in  addition  to  what  had  been  contributed 
by  the  friends  of  the  Gospel  on  the  Island, 
and  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  Wher- 
ever he  has  gone,  and  addressed  the  peo- 
ple in  this  behalf,  he  has  met  with  a  ready 
response,  and  found  a  goodly  company  of 
cheerful  givers.  In  a  few  more  days  he 
hopes  to  have  received  the  substantia]  aid, 
to  obtain  which  he  sought  these  shores, 
and  to  set  sail,  full  of  gratitude  to  God 
and  Li-  large-hearted  friends  in  America, 
for  his  far-off  borne  in  the  sea-girt  isle, 


PREFACE.  Ill 

where  the  illustrious  Corsican  rested  from 
his  brilliant  career  of  conquests,  and  end- 
ed his  days  in  inglorious  exile. 

The  sketches  here  presented  have  been 
derived,  for  the  most  part,  from  the  pub- 
lic addresses  of  Mr.  Bertram,  and  from 
publications  and  statements  that  he  has 
kindly  put  into  the  possession  of 

The  Editoe. 

New  York,  May  10th,  1852. 


Nw^ 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  spectacle  of  Divine  Power  in  action  is  always 
sublime.  It  is  a  glorious  sight  when  you  look  upon 
the  waters  of  Niagara,  and  listen  to  the  roar  of  its 
thunders ;  or  upon  the  fall  of  an  Alpine  avalanche, 
as  of  a  mountain  from  the  sky.  It  is  glorious  to  see 
the  sun  rise  and  set,  sublime  to  see  the  ocean  in  a 
storm,  or  a  volcano  in  action  ;  still  more,  to  gaze 
upon  the  planets  in  the  firmament  of  heaven,  and 
think  u£  that  Infinite  Power  that  keeps  them  silently 
rolling  in  the  depths  of  space,  in  such  countless  num- 
bers, yet  in  such  order,  harmony,  and  beauty.  But 
more  glorious  by  far  is  the  spectacle  of  Divine  power 
and  grace  in  the  regeneration  of  congregated  souls. 
To  see  a  nation,  a  whole  nation,  in  a  space  of  time 
only  one  third  the  span  of  human  life,  one  third  the 
span  given  to  the  development  of  individual  charac- 
ter, taken  from  the  deepest  depths  of  heathenism, 
raised  up  from  the  unutterable  abominations  of  the 
most  despotic  idolatry,  from  the  beastliness  of  habits 
of  pollution,  sanctioned  and  enforced  by  the  rites  of 
superstition,  and  to 'see  that  nation  so  changed  in  that 
short  space  of  time  as  to  possess  and  put  on  all  the 


VI  INTRODUCTION. 

characteristics  of  Christian  purity  and  refinement; 
this  is  a  manifestation  of  Almighty  power  more 
wondrous  than  the  creation  of  a  world !  It  is,  in- 
deed, the  standing  and  startling  miracle  of  modern 
times — a  miracle  of  wisdom,  omnipotence,  and  love. 
It  shows  what  the  gospel  of  Christ  and  the  grace  of 
God  can  do. 

This  glorious  miracle  of  Divine  power  and  grace 
has  been  witnessed  in  the  Sandwich  Islands  ;  and, 
adorning  the  same  age,  and  fit  to  be  set  in  the  same 
record,  though  on  a  smaller  scale,  is  the  miracle  of 
God's  power  and  mercy,  of  which  some  account  is 
given  in  this  volume,  wrought,  or  begun  to  be  wrought, 
in  the  Island  of  St.  Helena.  Truly,  the  island  proph- 
ecies in  the  Word  of  God  are  coming  out  into  great 
light  and  majesty.  They  are  as  morning  stars  of 
fulfillment  before  the  Great  Sun  of  Righteousness 
pours  His  beams  on  all  the  nations. 

And  these  prophecies  arc  fulfilled  in  so  extraordi- 
nary a  manner,  as  to  reveal  with  great  clearness  and 
power  the  manner  in  which  the  Lord  Jesus  causes 
His  strength  t<>  be  perfected  and  glorified  in  human 
weakness,  when  there  is  only  a  simple  and  strong 
faith  in  Him.  These  records  of  transactions  in  tin- 
island  world,  thai  may  have  caused  greater  wonder 
and  joy  in  heaven  than  all  the  transactions  in  the 


INTRODUCTION.  Vll 

same  space  of  time  elsewhere  evolved  on  our  globe, 
show  the  sublimity  of  faith,  and  the  important  part 
it  must  ever  hear,  in  subduing  a  fallen  world  to  Christ 
Jesus.  It  is  faith  in  God,  on  man's  part,  whereby  He 
will  accomplish  His  purposes;  or,  rather,  this  faith 
in  God,  and  the  heavenly  courage  produced  by  it, 
giving  glory  to  Him,  constitute  the  disposition,  in 
behalf  of  which,  and  in  the  exercise  of  which,  God 
can,  with  justice  to  Himself  and  lasting  good  to  His 
creatures,  make  bare  the  arm  of  His  power,  and  lead 
His  children  to  victory.  They  shall  have  the  victory 
when  their  heart  is  fixed  on  Him,  and  their  eye  sin- 
gle to  His  glory.  For  God  will  make  His  people 
and  the  world  understand  and  feed  that  great  princi- 
ple of  holiness  and  glory,  of  victory  and  success,  not 
by  might  nor  by  power,  but  by  the  S2^irit  of  the  Lord 

of  Hosts. 

When  that  is  understood  and  acted  upon — when 
God's  people  rely  boldly  and  only  upon  Him,  then 
one  of  them  can  chase  a  thousand,  and  two  put  ten 
thousand  to  flight.  Let  them  go  forth,  armed  with 
God's  Word,  fervent  in  prayer,  relying  on  the  Holy 
Spirit,  crying  out  with  the  good  King  Asa,  "Lord 
God,  this  eause  is  not  ours,  but  thine,  and  these  ene- 
mies are  not  ours,  but  thine;  let  not  man  prevail 
Against  Thee!"  and  then  shall  the  hosts  of  darkness 


Vlll  INTRODUCTION. 

be  scattered,  and  the  Church  of  God  shall  shine  forth 
fair  as  the  moon,  clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an 
army  with  banners.  But  let  them  not  be  afraid  of 
God's  Word,  nor  of  the  application  of  it,  for  it  is  by 
that  alone  that  error  and  iniquity  can  be  conquered ; 
for  the  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but 
spiritual,  and  mighty,  through  God,  to  the  pulling 
down  of  strong-holds.  "  Hearken  unto  me,  ye  that 
know  righteousness,  the  people  in  whose  heart  is  my 
law.  Fear  ye  not  the  reproach  of  men,  neither  be 
ye  afraid  of  their  revilings.  For  the  moth  shall  eat 
them  up  like  a  garment,  and  the  worm  shall  eat  them 
like  wool ;  but  my  righteousness  shall  be  forever,  and 
my  salvation  from  generation  to  generation."  "  "Who 
art  thou,  that  thou  shouldst  be  afraid  of  a  man  that 
shall  die,  and  of  the  son  of  man,  which  shall  be 
made  as  grass,  and  forgettest  the  Lord  thy  maker, 
that  hath  stretched  forth  the  heavens  and  laid  the 
foundations  of  the  earth,  and  hast  feared  continually 
ever)  day,  because  of  the  fury  of  the  oppressor,  as 
if  he  were  ready  to  destroy;  and  where  is  the  fury 
of  the  oppressor  [  1  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  that  di- 
vided the  sea,  v.  hose  waves  roared.  And  I  have  put 
mj  words  in  thy  mouth,  and  have  covered  thee  in 
the  shadow  of  my  hand,  thai  1  maj  plant  the  heav- 
and    lay    the   tbundatiotis  of  the   earth,  and  say 


INTRODUCTION.  It 

unto  Zion,  Thou  art  my  people  !"  Yes !  for  this  it  is 
that  God  hath  given  His  Word,  and  covers  His  peo- 
ple while  they  proclaim  it,  that  che  world  may  be  con 
vinccd  of  sin,  and  conquered  by  it,  and  a  church  built 
up,  who  are  the  people  of  the  living  God — the  reveal- 
ers  and  partakers  of  His  righteousness.  Therefore, 
let  His  people  be  faithful  with  His  Word ;  let  them 
trust  in  it,  and  in  God  who  gave  it,  and  let  them  never 
be  afraid  of  it.  There  is  nothing  lost  by  faithfulness ; 
there  is  every  thing  gained  by  boldness. 

We  think  this  is  strikingly  manifested  in  this  rec- 
ord of  the  work  of  God  in  St.  Helena.  God  prepared 
His  instrument  in  that  work  by  faith  ;  childlike,  sim- 
ple, unquestioning,  unhesitating,  God  impelled  him 
forth,  and  God  went  with  him.  It  really  reminds  us 
— this  spiritual  conquest  in  that  rocky,  sea-girt  isle — 
of  the  expedition — apparently  wild  and  romantic, 
and  the  success  and  the  victory,  manifestly  from 
God,  as  the  impulse  was  from  His  Spirit — of  Jon- 
athan, when  he  went  alone  to  the  garrison  of  the 
Philistines.  "  And  Jonathan  said  to  the  young  man 
that  bare  his  armor,  Come,  and  let  us  go  over  unto 
the  garrison  .of  these  uncircumcised.  It  may  be  that 
the  Lord  will  work  for  us.  For  there  is  no  restraint 
to  the  Lord,  to  save  by  many  or  by  few." 

How  admirable !     How  worthy  of  all  imitation 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

and  praise  !  This  was  not  the  native  courage  of  the 
warrior  only,  but  the  fearlessness  of  the  Christian, 
relying  on  his  God.  It  may  be  that  the  Lord  ivill 
work  for  us.  How  humble,  simple,  childlike,  and 
beautiful  is  his  faith !  He  does  not  pretend  to  cer- 
tainty, does  not  profess  to  have  met  God  in  a 
dream,  or  to  have  had  any  special  revelation  from 
Him,  as  the  ground  of  his  confidence,  or  any  assur- 
ance that  he  should  be  successful  in  the  present  case. 
But  the  effort  was  worth  making,  and  it  might  be 
that  God  would  give  it  success ;  at  any  rate,  they 
were  not  to  sit  still,  and  venture  nothing.  Some- 
thing was  worth  hazarding  in  the  cause  of  God,  and 
if  they  never  attempted  any  thing  without  being  first 
sure  of  success,  they  never  would  gain  any  thing. 
Jonathan  was  willing  to  leave  the  event  with  God ; 
and,  trusting  in  God,  his  conduct  was  boldness,  but 
not  rashness. 

Boldness  in  the  cause  of  God  is  prudence.  If  the 
path  of  any  enterprise  be  the  path  of  duty,  then  dis- 
miss your  fears,  and  go  forward,  leaving  the  result 
with  God.  You  need  ask  for  nothing  more  than  this 
young  Christian  warrior's  humble  confidence  and  wil- 
lingness. It  may  be  that  the  Lord  will  work  for  us. 
Suppose  He  should  not,  what  then  1  Is  the  doubt  or 
the  fear  that  He  will  not,  a  good  ground  for  relinquish- 


INTRODUCTION.  XI 

ing  an  effort,  where  you  may  accomplish  great  things 
for  God  %  Does  the  fear  that  God  will  not  work  for 
you,  release  you  from  the  obligation  of  working  for 
Him  ?  You  must  be  willing  to  work  on  a  may-be. 
Positive  assurance  of  success  is  not  to  be  demanded; 
and  if  men  wait  for  that,  they  will  do  nothing,  un- 
dertake nothing.  Enterprises  begun  in  faith  are  most 
suecessliil.  It  is  right  to  count  the  cost,  but,  after 
all,  you  must  throw  yourself  on  God ;  and  the  fear 
of  the  cost  of  a  possible  failure  ought  not  to  hold 
you  back  from  a  possible  success.  It  may  be.  If 
you  do  not  undertake  it,  it  certainly  will  not  be. 
God  will  not  work  for  you,  if  you  do  not  give  Him 
opportunity  ;  but  if  you  do,  He  may.  If  you  hazard 
nothing,  for  fear  that  He  will  not  work,  you  are  a 
great  coward,  and  it  is  a  very  selfish  plan  that  you 
go  upon.  Jonathan  committed  himself  to  the  Lord's 
cause,  cpiite  regardless  of  his  own  interests.  It  was 
truly  a  sublime  sight  to  see  him  cast  himself  on  God, 
and  go  forth  on  such  a  desperate  undertaking,  quite 
willing  to  meet  all  the  hazard,  quite  forgetful  of  self, 
and  ready  to  make  any  sacrifice,  for  the  sake  of  ac- 
complishing, possibly,  a  great  thing  for  his  country, 
by  God's  help.  It  may  be  that  God  ivill  work  for 
us;  we  will  go,  at  any  rate.  If  He  does  work  for 
us,  we  shall  do  a  great  work ;  we  will  not  let  the 


Xll  INTRODUCTION. 

possibility  of  His  not  working  enter  into  our  calcu- 
lation. 

Now,  that  was  not  only  true  courage,  but  true  wis- 
dom, as  genuine  courage  always  is.  It  was  a  true 
missionary  spirit.  It  was  just  in  this  way  that  our 
devoted  missionaries  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  and  to 
India  went  forth  first,  against  such  incalculable  odds, 
with  nothing  but  God  to  rely  upon.  It  may  be  that 
God  will  work  for  us.  The  supposition  that  He  will 
not,  shall  not  enter  into  our  calculation.  But  even 
if  He  does  not,  the  effort  is  for  Him,  and  cannot  be 
lost.  Fruitless  it  may  be,  but  lost,  or  disregarded, 
or  forgotten  of  God,  it  cannot  be.  It  will  be  precious 
in  His  sight,  it  will  meet  His  approbation.  Even 
supposing  that  we  die  in  the  midst  of  it,  is  it  not  a 
death  for  God  ?  Do  we  not  give  ourselves  up  to 
Him?  The  path  of  duty  is  the  path  of  safety, 
though  death  itself  stood  in  the  way;  but  in  a  battle, 
the  boldest  are  the  safest,  and  they  are  the  most  like- 
ly to  come  off  uninjured. 

This  was  a  true  revival  spirit — an  example  of  what 
may  be  done,  even  by  one  man,  with  great  faith,  in 
a  time  of  insensibility  and  lukewarmness.  It  may 
he.  There  was  no  beginning  of  a  revival  of  courage 
or  of  piety  in  the  army;  there  were  no  extraordinary 
Bigns.     The  beginning  of  the  work  was  in  Jonathan's 


INTRODUCTION.  Xlll 

own  heart :  all  things  externally  looked  discourag- 
ing. But  Jonathan  said,  It  may  be.  Who  knows? 
There  is  this  great  work  to  be  accomplished,  and  per- 
haps God  will  use  us  to  accomplish  it.  Indeed,  we 
are  only  two  or  three,  but  that  is  nothing  against  the 
enterprise,  if  God  be  with  us.  It  may  be  that  the 
Lord  will  toork  for  'as,  for  there  is  no  restraint  to  the 
Lord,  to  save  by  many  or  by  few.  It  was  a  mode  of 
argument  taught  by  the  Spirit  of  God ;  it  was  a  di- 
vine inspiration  in  Jonathan's  soul — the  inspiration 
of  faith,  a  strong  sense  of  the  presence  and  power 
of  God,  an  entire  reliance  upon  Him,  and  a  most 
sincere  and  fervent  desire  for  God's  glory. 

These  are  the  graces  that  indicate  and  prove  an 
appointed  work  from  God.  In  moving  under  these 
impulses,  Jonathan  could  hardly  be  presumptuous, 
or  in  danger  of  mistake  as  to  the  path  of  duty.  In- 
deed, the  path  of  duty  was  clear,  and  the  only  ques- 
tion was,  would  Jonathan  do  right  to  venture  upon 
it  so  entirely  alone,  and  without  human  assistance  % 
But  Jonathan  knew  that  whether  with  or  without  hu- 
man assistance,  except  by  the  blessing  of  God,  he 
could  do  nothing ;  and  he  also  knew  that  the  less 
there  was  of  man,  the  more  sometimes  there  was  of 
God.  Just  so  David  felt  when  he  went  against  Go- 
liah.    It  was  an  undertaking  that  seemed,  in  the  judg- 

2 


XIV  INTRODUCTION. 

ment  of  some  men,  merely  presumptuous  and  fool- 
hardy, not  to  say  ridiculous,  and  the  more  so,  because 
David  refused  to  be  girded  with  Saul's  armor.  Some- 
times the  things  that  the  men  of  the  world  rely  upon, 
and  by  which  they  expect  every  thing  to  be  accom- 
plished, and  without  which  they  think  nothing  can  be 
done,  are  mere  impediments  to  faith. 

For  the  illustration  of  these  lessons,  we  refer  to 
the  interesting  and  instructive  narrative  in  the  fol- 
lowing pages.  It  is  a  narrative  that  utters  in  every 
part  the  anthem  of  brighter  worlds — Glory  to  God 
and  the  Lamb !  It  is  a  narrative  that  shows  what 
God  may  at  any  time  be  pleased  to  do,  inspiring  the 
weakness  of  man ;  and  what  man  may  do,  trusting 
in  the  strength  of  God.  To  the  Christian  at  home 
and  the  missionary  abroad,  it  is  a  narrative  full  of 
heavenly  suggestion  and  encouragement. 

The  nlation  of  it  to  the  churches  in  America  has 
gained  Mr.  Bertram  and  his  island  mission  a  place  of 
remembrance  and  affectionate  prayerful  interest  in 
thousands  of  hearts,  that  otherwise  would  have  heard 
of  this  great  work  of  grace  only  by  faint  and  far-off 
voices.  W'liat  has  been  given,  has  been  given  joyful- 
ly ;  never  did  any  appeal  for  any  station  in  the  wide 
missionary  field  of  the  world  meet  a  mere  welcome 
response,  and  prayer  has  gone  before  the  offering. 


CONTENTS. 


Pago 
PREFACE    i 

INTRODUCTION,    BY    REV.    G.    B.    CHEEVER,    D.D V 


CHAPTER  I. 

LIFE    AT    HOME 17 

CHAPTER  II. 

LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE 40 

CHAPTER  III. 

LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY 68 

CHAPTER  IV. 

LIFE    AT   ST.    HELENA 113 

APPENDIX. 

A — DECEASE    OF    MRS.    SARAH    13.    JUDSON 101 

B — CASES    OF    HAPPY    DEATHS    AT    ST.    HELENA 196 

C — MISSION    TO    AMERICA 213 


LIFE  AND  LABORS, 

CHAPTER  I. 

LIFE     AT     HOME. 

James  M'Gregor  Bertram  is  a  native  of 
Scotland.  He  was  born  February  24th,  1806,  at 
Southfield,  in  the  parish  of  Gladsmuir,  East  Lo- 
thian, Haddingtonshire,  where,  a  hundred  years 
ago,  the  great  historian,  Dr.  William  Robertson, 
ministered  in  the  name  of  Christ,  and  where  he 
wrote  his  "  History  of  Scotland."  The  home  of 
his  childhood  was  in  the  western  part  of  the  par- 
ish, not  far  from  the  village  of  Tranent,  and  in 
full  view  of  the  majestic  Frith  of  Forth,  which  is 
reached  by  an  easy  descent  of  land  toward  the 
North.  Preston  Pans,  where  Charles  Edward  Stu- 
art, the  Pretender,  having  already  taken  Edin- 
burgh, met  and  completely  routed  the  forces  of 
Sir  John  Cope,  on  the  morning  of  Saturday,  the 
21st  of  September,  1745,  on  which  occasion  the 
godly  Colonel  James  Gardiner  lost  his  life,  is  in 
the  immediate  neighborhood  on  the  west.  The 
capital  is  but  eleven  miles  distant.     Haddington, 


18  LIFE    AT    HOME. 

where  that  man  of  God,  the  Rev.  John  Brown,  of 
the  Associate  Synod,  so  faithfully  taught  and  il- 
lustrated the  Gospel,  and  whose  fame  is  in  all  the 
churches,  is  about  four  miles  to  the  east.  It  is  a 
neighborhood  full  of  interest  to  the  lover  of  Scotch 
history,  and  of  stirring  associations. 

The  father  of  Mr.  Bertram,  true  to  the  faith 
of  his  noble  ancestors,  adhered  to  the  Church  of 
Scotland,  and  faithfully  endeavored  to  bring  up 
his  children  (deprived  of  their  godly  mother  at  an 
early  age)  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the 
Lord.  He  taught  them  to  walk  in  the  fear  of 
God,  to  reverence  His  name,  to  hallow  His  sab- 
baths, to  study  His  word,  and  to  offer  the  morn- 
ing and  evening;  sacrifice.  His  children  were  sev- 
erally  brought  to  the  sanctuary  in  their  infancy, 
and  consecrated  to  God.  James  M'Guegor  was 
thus  baptized,  according  to  the  usages  of  the  Scot- 
tish Church,  shortly  after  his  birth,  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Brown,  in  the  parish  church  of  Gladsmuir. 

In  the  year  1809  the  family  removed  to  the 
southwest  of  Scotland,  and  took  up  their  resi- 
dence at  Mount  Pleasant,  about  half  a  mile  from 
the  ancient  town  of  Dumfries,  on  the  eastern 
bank  of  the  river  Nith,  and  about  nine  miles 
from  the  Sol  way  Frith.  Here  in  the  midst  of 
beautiful  scenery  and  splendid  prospects,  for 
which  Dumfries  is  so  justly  celebrated — here, 
among  the  hills  and  vales  of  bonny  Nithsdalc,  im- 


LIFE    AT    HOME.  19 

mortalized  by  Scotland's  favorite  bard,  where 
Burns  spent  the  last  eight  years  of  his  life,  and 
■where  he  was  buried,  as  indicated  by  the  noble 
monument  in  St.  Michael's  church-yard,  over  his 
remains — Mr.  Bertram  passed  his  youthful  days, 
and  grew  to  the  stature  of  manhood.  His  worthy 
sire,  shortly  after  his  arrival  at  Dumfries,  became 
connected  with  the  Relief  Church,  then  under  the 
pastoral  care  of  the  venerable  Andrew  Fife,  by 
whose  ministrations  the  religious  impressions,  made 
on  the  youthful  mind  of  James  by  parental  faith- 
fulness, were  greatly  confirmed.  He  received  the 
rudiments  of  learning  at  an  excellent  school  in 
Dumfries,  but  the  limited  means  of  the  family 
could  not  afford  him  the  advantages  of  a  finished 
education. 

The  father  was  a  tiller  of  the  ground,  on  a 
small  scale.  He  occupied  himself  principally  in 
the  cultivation  of  plants,  and  flowers,  and  seeds  ; 
in  which  healthful  and  inspiring  employment  he 
was  assisted  by  James.  His  boyhood  thus  was 
passed  amid  the  beauties  of  nature,  in  close  famil- 
iarity with  some  of  her  most  delightful  works.  He 
spent  his  early  days,  not  in  the  feculent  atmo- 
sphere of  the  crowded  haunts  of  vice  and  dissi- 
pation, but  in  the  midst  of  umbrageous  woods,  and 
graceful  plants,  and  smiling  flowers, 

"  Where  the  fantastic  tulip  strives  to  break 
In  two-fold  beauty,  and  a  parted  streak; 


20  LIFE    AT    HOME. 

The  twining  jasmine  and  the  blushing  rose, 
With  lavish  grace  their  morning  scents  disclose : 
The  smelling  tuberose  and  jonquil  declare 
The  stronger  impulse  of  an  evening  air." 

It  is  a  privilege  not  sufficiently  appreciated,  to 
have  our  earliest  associations  formed  away  from 
the  artificial  habits,  and  dusty  streets,  and  dingy 
walls  of  the  city — away  from  the  thousand  temp- 
tations that  there  beset  the  minds  of  the  youth, 
and  lead  them  astray — to  dwell  where  God  is  seen 
in  all  His  works,  and  where  sweet  innocence,  sim- 
plicity, and  purity  are  found. 

"Oh!  friendly  to  the  best  pursuits  of  man — 
Friendly  to  thought,  to  virtue,  and  to  peace, 
Domestic  life,  in  rural  pleasure  passed! 
Few  know  thy  value,  and  few  taste  thy  sweets; 
Though  many  boast  thy  favors,  and  affect 
To  understand  and  choose  thee  for  their  own." 

An  elder  brother  had  found  his  way  to  England, 
and  established  himself,  in  company  with  Mr.  Alex- 
ander Grierson,  as  a  cloth  merchant,  in  the  flourish- 
ing town  of  Manchester.  Thither  James  was  sent 
in  1824,  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  to  assist  his 
brother  Thomas,  and  learn  the  art  and  mystery 
of  trade.  Thomas  Bertram  was  a  member  of 
the  Independent  Church,  worshiping  in  Chapel- 
strcet,  near  Gravel-lane,  Salford,  under  the  pas- 
toral care  of  the  Rev.  John  A.  Coombs.  Oc- 
casionally the  young  Scotchman  was  found  at  St. 


LIFE    AT    HOME.  21 

Clement's  Church,  Levers-street,  at  that  time 
served  by  the  Rev.  William  Nunn.  Under  the 
ministry  of  the  latter,  in  the  year  1825,  his  con- 
science appears  to  have  been  aroused,  and  his  soul 
awakened  to  a  vivid  religious  sensibility.  The 
precious  seed,  that  had  so  long  before  been  sown 
in  Nithsdale,  now  began  to  vegetate  and  bear 
fruit  in  Lancashire.  He  was  led  to  seek  the  for- 
giveness of  sin  and  peace  with  God,  through  faith 
in  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  From  this  time 
the  course  of  his  life  was  changed.  In  his  nine- 
teenth year  he  became  a  subject  of  grace,  and 
cherished  a  hope  of  salvation. 

Although  Mr.  Bertram  had  thus  been  brought 
to  regard  himself  as  a  believer,  he  was  still  by  no 
means  decided  as  to  the  particular  church,  in  which 
he  should  make  a  profession  of  religion.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  state  the  considerations  which  kept 
him  for  a  length  of  time  from  the  Lord's  table.  It 
was  not  until  the  twenty-seventh  year  of  his  age" 
that  his  course  was  made  plain,  and  the  way  pre- 
pared for  his  complete  separation  from  the  world. 
In  the  year  1833,  the  Rev.  Robert  Aitken,  at 
that  time  a  preacher  of  wonderful  power  and  pop- 
ularity, came  to  Manchester,  and  exerted,  by  the 
blessing  of  God,  that  influence  over  the  mind  of 
Mr.  Bertram,  which  resulted  in  his  full  and  en- 
tire consecration  to  the  service  of  God. 

This  distinguished  preacher  deserves  more  than 


22  LIFE    AT    HOME. 

a  passing  notice.  He  is  a  native  of  North  Brit- 
ain, having  been  horn  at  the  close  of  the  last  cen- 
tury, in  Roxburghshire,  not  far  from  the  Tweed,  in 
Tiviotdale.  Sent,  by  a  friend  of  his  father's  fam- 
ily, into  England,  to  be  educated  for  the  Church, 
he  was  introduced  into  the  ranks  of  the  clergy  of 
the  Establishment  about  thirty  years  ago.  Some 
little  time  after  his  admission  to  orders,  he  be- 
came the  incumbent  of  the  chapel  at  Douglas,  a 
sea-port  town  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Isle  of 
Ma&)  and  the  principal  place  on  the  island,  lying 
about  sixty  miles  in  a  northwesterly  direction  from 
Liverpool.  Shortly  after,  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  a  lady  of  the  place,  of  considerable  prop- 
erty and  high  respectability.  For  a  period  of 
about  ten  or  twelve  years,  Mr.  Aitken  continued 
in  the  performance  of  his  official  duties  as  a  parish 
priest,  respected  and  flattered  by  the  people,  but 
destitute  of  the  power  of  godliness.  Greatly  at- 
tached to  the  Church  of  England,  he  held  no  com- 
munion with  dissent,  and  scorned  to  be  found  in 
attendance  on  the  ministrations  of  a  Non-con- 
formist. 

It  pleased  God,  however,  to  make  use  of  an  in- 
strumentality so  despicable  in  the  sight  of  the 
self-righteous  clergyman,  to  bring  him  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth.  He  made  choice,  as  lie 
60  often  docs,  of  "  the  foolish  things  of  the  world 
to  confound  the  wise,"  and  "  the  weak  things  of 


LIFE    AT    HOME.  23 

the  world  to  confound  the  things  which  are  mighty, 
and  base  things  of  the  world,  and  things  which  are 
despised."  Some  time  about  the  year  1831,  Mr. 
Aitken  was  passing  a  Wesleyan  chapel  in  the  Isle 
of  Man,  while  the  society  were  occupied  in  an 
evening  conference.  His  attention  was  arrested, 
and  he  stopped  without,  to  listen  to  the  artless 
statements  made  by  the  brethren,  in  the  narration 
of  their  Christian  experience.  He  heard  enough 
to  convince  him,  that  he  was  an  entire  stranger  to 
such  spiritual  exercises,  and  utterly  destitute  of 
that  "  joy  and  peace  in  believing,"  which  seemed 
to  characterize  these  poor,  despised  dissenters.  Aa 
he  returned  home,  the  conviction  fastened  itself 
upon  him  that  he  was  a  lost  sinner.  He  shut 
himself  up  in  his  study,  and  began  to  cry  for  mer- 
cy. His  prayer  was  heard,  his  pride  humbled, 
his  former  righteousness  renounced,  and  his  heart 
renewed  by  Divine  grace. 

The  change  thus  effected  in  his  views,  feelings, 
desires,  hopes,  purposes,  and  plans,  was  most  thor- 
ough. Filled  to  overflowing  with  the  joy  of  a  new 
convert,  his  whole  countenance  glowed  Avith  heav- 
enly radiance.  He  longed  to  impart  the  same  spir- 
itual gift — instrumentally,  at  least — to  his  loved 
companion.  He  almost  flew  to  find  her,  and  com- 
municate to  her  the  glad  tidings  ;  but  he  seemed 
to  her  as  one  bereft  of  reason.     At  length,  how- 


24  LIFE    AT   HOME. 

ever,  she  too  was  led  to  seek  the  Lord,  and  be- 
came as  happy  and  zealous  as  himself. 

He  now  entered  upon  the  work  of  preaching 
Christ  with  all  his  heart  and  soul.  The  people 
soon  perceived  the  change  in  their  minister,  and 
flocked  from  all  quarters  to  hear  from  his  lips  the 
wonders  of  Divine  grace.  The  sanctuary  was 
filled  to  overflowing  with  the  crowds,  and  great 
numbers  of  them  were  pricked  in  their  hearts, 
and  led  to  cry,  "  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  V 
The  awakening  became  general,  not  only  in  the 
town,  but  in  other  portions  of  the  island.  Taking 
advantage  of  the  growing  excitement,  Mr.  Aitkcn 
■went  everywhere  preaching  the  word.  As  the 
churches  were  utterly  insufficient  to  receive  the 
multitudes,  he  adopted  the  practice  of  Whitcficld 
and  Wesley,  and  preached  under  the  open  canopy 
of  heaven,  in  the  fields,  in  the  streets,  and  wherever 
the  people  could  be  gathered  together.  On  one  of 
these  occasions,  the  congregation  and  their  preacher 
were  surprised  by  a  heavy  shower  of  rain,  and  found 
shelter  within  a  Wcslcyan  chapel  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, where,  by  the  urgent  invitation  of  the  pro- 
prietors, Mr.  Aitken  continued  and  concluded  the 
service.  So  uncanonical  an  act  could  not  be  over- 
looked by  the  Lord  Bishop  of  Sodor  and  Man. 
The  Right  Rev.  William  Ward,  D.D.,  at  once 
decided,  that  the  man,  who  could  pay  so  little  re- 
gard to  the  canons  of  the  Church,  should  feel 


LIFE    AT    HOME.  25 

the  weight  of  her  ordinances.  Mr.  Aitken  was 
accordingly  removed  from  his  incumbency,  and  his 
name  erased  from  the  number  of  the  clergy.  Such 
are  the  tender  mercies  of  lordly  prelacy  !  "  From 
such  apostles,"  God  "  preserve  the  Church !" 

But  the  fire  thus  kindled  was  not  so  easily  to  be 
quenched.  The  fame  thereof  reached  Liverpool ; 
and  soon  an  invitation  was  received  from  some  of 
the  dissenting  people  of  that  great  commercial 
mart,  and  Mr.  Aitken  made  them  a  visit.  He 
was  received  with  open  arms,  and  invited  to  the 
pulpit  of  the  Wesleyan  chapel  in  Pitt-street. 
The  results  of  his  preaching  soon  appeared,  as  in 
the  Isle  of  Man.  He  possessed  a  most  attractive 
and  commanding  person,  being  fully  six  feet  in 
height,  and  well-proportioned ;  of  black  hair,  and 
heavy  whiskers,  with  a  voice  full,  powerful,  melo- 
dious, and  perfectly  at  command.  A  well-trained 
mind,  of  far  more  than  ordinary  powers,  brought 
into  full  exercise  by  the  impulse  of  the  new-born 
zeal  with  which  his  whole  soul  was  fired,  aided  by 
vehement  but  graceful  gesticulation,  gave  him  a 
most  wonderful  control  over  the  crowds  and  masses 
that  flocked  to  hear  him.  He  had  seen  so  much 
of  the  deceitfulness  of  his  own  heart,  that  he 
trembled  with  apprehension  for  the  vast  multitude 
of  professing  Christians  and  others,  whom  he  could 
not  but  regard  as  "  having  no  hope,  and  without 
God  in  the  world."     He  therefore  deemed  it  to 

3 


26  LIFE    AT    HOSfE". 

be  his  duty  to  bring  the  terrors  of  the  Lord  to 
bear  with  burning  weight  upon  the  ungodly,  and 
so  to  prevail  upon  them,  if  possible,  to  turn  from 
the  error  of  their  Avays.  He  took  for  his  motto, 
"  The  sword  of  the  Lord,  and  of  Gideon !"  and 
armed  himself  for  a  crusade  against  all  ungodli- 
ness. To  the  wounded  sinner  he  held  up  a  Re- 
deemer crucified,  and  bade  him  "Look  and  live."' 

Numerous  chapels  were  opened  to  welcome  him, 
but  none  were  large  enough  to  contain  the  crowds. 
Deep  impressions  were  made  by  the  truths  that 
he  preached,  and  many  souls  were  added  to  the 
Lord.  He  went  up  to  London,  and  preached 
with  like  results  in  White's  Row  Chapel,  Spital- 
fields,  and  in  other  chapels  in  the  metropolis.  He 
visited  several  of  the  large  provincial  towns,  and 
ranged  through  Yorkshire,  where  his  coming  was 
like  a  tornado,  sweeping  all  before  it.  He  laid 
siege  particularly  to  Sheffield,  and  so  mightily 
prevailed  the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  no  less  than 
six  thousand  souls,  as  was  thought,  were  awakened 
to  seek  the  Lord.  At  Birmingham  and  Manches- 
ter also,  the  populace  were  stirred,  and  ran  to 
hear  this  second  Whitefield.  A  wonderful  revival 
of  religion  attended  his  ministrations  wherever  he 
went,  and  his  fame  spread  abroad  through  all  the 
land.  His  services  were  in  great  request,  and  his 
labors  almost  superhuman. 

Measures  were  taken  by  some  of  the  Scotch 


LIFE    AT    HOME.  27 

residents  of  Liverpool,  in  1835,  to  induce  Mr. 
Aitkcn  to  locate  himself  among  them.  In  confer- 
ence with  him,  they  pledged  themselves  to  co- 
operate with  him  in  a  vigorous  assault  on  the  un- 
godliness and  hypocrisy  of  the  town,  and  to  furnish 
the  means  for  his  support,  and  for  the  erection  of 
a  suitable  place  of  worship.  A  commodious  hall 
in  Cook-street,  capable  of  seating  about  eight 
hundred  persons,  was  rented,  and  immediately 
opened  for  public  worship.  Ground  was  also  ob- 
tained in  Hope-street,  and  the  foundations  of  a 
house  of  worship  speedily  laid. 

About  this  time  Mr.  Bertram's  acquaintance 
with  Mr.  Aitken  commenced.  The  latter  had 
visited  Manchester  on  a  preaching  excursion,  and, 
as  usual,  attracted  vast  multitudes.  A  worthy 
Scotch  citizen,  at  whose  house  Mr.  Aitken  was 
entertained,  invited  Mr.  Bertram  to  his  house, 
and  introduced  him  as  an  ardent-minded  Christian, 
whose  views  and  sympathies  were  in  unison  with 
those  of  the  distinguished  preacher.  The  mind  of 
Mr.  Bertram  had  long  been  turning  toward  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  and  he  was  anxiously  desirous 
to  learn  the  path  of  duty.  In  Mr.  Aitken  he 
found  an  ardent  friend  and  faithful  counselor.  A 
mutual  attachment  was  formed,  which  led  to  a 
frequent  correspondence  on  the  return  of  Mr. 
Aitken  to  Liverpool.  At  the  end  of  six  months, 
Mr.  Bertram  concluded  to  listen  to  the  pressing 


28  LIFE    AT    HOME. 

invitation  of  his  friend,  to  go  down  to  Liverpool, 
and  take  up  his  abode  in  the  hospitable  mansion 
of  Mr.  Aitken,  with  a  view  to  prepare  himself  for 
the  gospel  ministry.  After  his  removal,  he  gave 
himself  to  the  work  of  exhorting,  instructing, 
and  praying  in  the  social  meetings  of  the  new 
society. 

Hope-street  Chapel  was  completed  in  1836,  and 
dedicated  to  the  worship  of  God  about  five  months 
after  the  foundations  were  laid.  It  was  of  respect- 
able appearance,  built  of  stone,  and  adapted  for 
the  accommodation  of  about  two  thousand  persons. 
It  was  immediately  filled,  and  continued  to  be 
filled  to  overflowing.  Month  after  month  the 
Spirit  of  God  was  poured  upon  the  congregation, 
and  great  numbers  were  hopefully  converted  to 
God.  In  ten  months,  the  society,  which  had  been 
organized  with  only  nine  members,  had  increased 
to  fifteen  hundred,  of  whom  twelve  hundred  bad 
been  gathered  out  of  the  world,  and  received  into 
the  church  on  the  relation  of  their  experience. 
The  work  had  extended  into  other  towns.  In 
Manchester,  Burslem,  Hanley,  Congleton,  Pres- 
ton, and  Leigh,  where  Mr.  Aitken  had  occasion- 
ally preached,  little  bands  of  brethren  had  gath- 
ered around  him.  It.  was  desirable  that  these 
st;it ions  should  be  occupied.  Accordingly,  Mr. 
Bertram,  with  three  other  zealous  brethren,  Messrs. 
Campbell,  Delaney,  and  Read,  were  publicly  set 


LIFE    AT    HOME.  29 

apart,  in  the  summer  of  183G,  to  the  work  of  the 
ministry. 

At  a  convocation  held  in  Hope-street  Chapel, 
October  27th,  1830,  in  which  the  several  stations 
were  fully  represented,  it  was  resolved  to  form 
themselves  into  a  society,  to  be  called  "  The 
Christian  Society  in  connection  with  the  Rev.  R. 
Aitken."  Rules  and  regulations  were  adopted, 
and  the  policy  as  well  as  purpose  of  the  new  or- 
ganization defined.  It  was  agreed  that,  while  the 
word  of  God  alone  should  be  regarded  as  the  only 
infallible  standard  of  their  faith,  "Wesley's  Ser- 
mons and  Notes  on  the  New  Testament"  should 
be  considered  as  containing  their  "  sentiments  of 
doctrinal  truth,"  and  be  adopted  as  their  legal 
and  scriptural  standard  of  doctrine  ;  although  the 
views  of  the  body  were  rather  more  Calvinistic 
than  this  would  indicate.  An  ecclesiastical  politj^, 
compounded  mainly  of  the  Wesleyan  and  Presby- 
terian systems,  was  also  adopted,  and  experimental 
piety  made  an  indispensable  prerequisite  to  mem- 
bership. They  determined  to  be  "  a  working, 
soul-saving  society;"  to  make  the  salvation  of 
souls  the  one  great  object  and  business  of  the 
association ;  to  labor  and  pray  for  revivals  of  re- 
ligion, and  to  seek  for  mighty  effusions,  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Prayer  meetings  were  to  be  held 
weekly,  and  oftener,  u  possible,  and  to  be  so 
multiplied  as  to  give  abundant  opportunities  for 


80  LIFE    AT    HOME. 

every  one  of  the  members  to  exercise  their  gifts 
of  prayer.  After  every  evening  service,  penitent 
meetings,  or,  as  we  call  them,  inquiry  meetings, 
were  to  be  held.  The  sermons  were  to  be  "not 
neatly-composed  essa)Ts  to  amuse  the  intellect,  hut 
plain,  strong,  pointed  appeals  to  awaken  the  con- 
science. The  lazy,  useless  system  of  talking 
about  good  things  in  the  pulpit,"  was  to  "  be  to- 
tally discarded,  and  every  minister"  required  to 
"  throw  his  body,  soul,  and  spirit  into  the  work." 
At  the  penitent  meetings,  "  the  elders  and  lead- 
ers" were  to  "  go  from  pew  to  pew  and  exhort 
sinners  to  repentance."  Gayety  of  dress,  parties 
of  pleasure,  the  use  of  intoxicating  drinks,  except 
as  medicine,  and  marriage  with  unconverted  per- 
sons, were  not  to  be  allowed,  and  all  were  con- 
scientiously to  observe  private,  family,  and  public 
worship.  In  the  admission  of  members,  no  true 
Christian  was  to  be  rejected  on  account  of  any  pe- 
culiarity  of  doctrinal  views. 

Such  was  the  frame-work  of  a  society  which, 
within  a  few  years,  exerted  a  large  influence  in 
the  work  of  calling  sinners  to  repentance.  The 
doctrinal  views  of  Mr.  Aitken  and  the  preachers 
in  the  connection,  almost  coincided  with  those  of 
the  Rev.  Charles  G.  Finney,  of  Ohio,  an  edition 
of  whose  "  Revival  Lectures"  he  put  to  the  press, 
with  an  Introducliun,  "  vindicating  and  enforcing 


LIFE    AT    HOME.  31 

Mr.  Finney's   plan  of  conducting  the  wcrk  of 
God." 

Immediately  after  the  convocation,  Mr.  Ber- 
tram removed  to  the  market-town  of  Hanley,  near 
the  sources  of  the  Trent,  near  Newcastle-under- 
Lyne,  in  the  northern  part  of  Staffordshire,  to 
which  station  he  had  been  appointed,  in  connec- 
tion with  Mr.  Delaney.  Here,  among  the  pot- 
teries, with  which  the  region  is  studded,  he  found 
ample  employment  for  his  ministerial  gifts.  Two 
churches  were  organized,  and  a  number  of  out- 
stations  were  established.  At  the  expiration  of 
a  year  he  was  removed  to  Doncaster,  an  ancient 
and  beautiful  town  in  the  southern  part  of  York- 
shire, on  the  southeastern  bank  of  the  river  Don, 
about  eighteen  miles  northeast  of  Sheffield,  and 
famous  for  its  races.  Here,  too,  his  ministry  was 
prospered,  and  a  church  of  about  one  hundred 
members  was  gathered.  In  the  fall  of  1838  he 
was  appointed  to  Stockport,  a  lai'ge  and  flourish- 
ing town,  exceedingly  picturesque,  on  both  sides 
of  the  Mersey,  and  lying  partly  in  Cheshire  and 
partly  in  Lancashire,  only  seven  miles  from  his 
former  residence  in  Manchester,  to  the  southeast. 
Here,  too,  he  found  a  wide  field  of  usefulness 
among  the  numerous  workmen  employed  in  the 
cotton  factories,  for  which  the  town  is  famous. 
His  ministry  was  much  prospered,  and  a  church 
of  three  hundred  souls  was  gathered  in  the  course 


32  LIFE    AT    HOME. 

of  twelve  months.  From  Stockport  he  removed 
in  the  autumn  of  1839  to  the  city  of  Bristol,  where 
he  labored  for  the  two  years  following  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Rev.  John  Richardson,  and  gathered 
two  churches,  one  containing  about  two  hundred, 
and  the  other  about  three  hundred  members. 

During  big  residence  in  Bristol,  his  views  on 
the  mode  of  baptism  were  considerably  modified. 
To  this  subject  his  attention  was  called  by  the 
preaching  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Matthews,  of  Bed- 
ford. After  a  short  season  of  inquiry,  he  con- 
cluded to  offer  himself  as  a  candidate  for  immer- 
sion ;  and  with  his  wife,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Richard- 
son, and  several  others,  he  was  accordingly  im- 
mersed in  the  year  1838,  by  the  Rev.  John  Bowes, 
of  Dundee,  without  forfeiting,  b}7  this  proceeding, 
his  standing  in  the  connection.  He  adopted  main- 
ly the  views  of  the  great  Robert  Hall,  and  a  large 
portion  of  our  Baptist  brethren  in  England,  on 
the  subject  of  church  fellowship. 

In  the  mean  time,  Mr.  Aitkcn,  and  the  other 
ministers  in  the  connection,  were  laboring,  full  of 
zeal  and  energy,  in  the  prosecution  of  what  they 
deemed  to  lie  their  particular  mission. 

.Mr.  Aitkcn  had  procured,  in  1838,  the  old 
chapel  in  White's  Row,  Spitalfields,  in  the  east- 
ern pari  of  London,  where  formerly  the  venerable 
Dr.  Townsend  ministered.  Leaving  Hope-street 
Chapel,  in  Liverpool,  to  be  supplied  by  others,  he 


LIFE    AT    HOME.  83 

removed  to  the  metropolis,  and,  assisted  by  Mr. 
Delaney,  conducted  the  services  in  White's  Row 
Chapel,  producing  here,  as  elsewhere,  a  great 
sensation.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  same  year,  he 
purchased  a  commodious  and  comfortable  place  of 
worship  on  the  Surry  side,  called  Zion  Chapel, 
Waterloo  Road.  In  both  of  these  chapels,  service 
was  maintained  twice  every  Sabbath  day,  and  fre- 
quently on  the  evenings  of  other  days  in  the  week. 
Immense  crowds  of  all  classes  were  attracted  to 
hear  Mr.  Aitken,  and  a  great  excitement  was 
produced. 

Shortly  after  his  removal  to  London,  he  was 
deprived  of  his  wife  by  death.  This  excellent 
lady  had  proved  her  devotion  to  the  cause  of  her 
Lord  and  Master  by  unwearied  services.  She 
was  regarded  by  the  preachers  and  the  people  as 
a  mother  in  Israel.  Her  influence  over  her  hus- 
band was  highly  salutary  and  sanctifying.  As 
long  as  she  lived  the  work  prospered ;  but,  after 
her  death,  it  was  soon  perceived  that  Mr.  Aitken 
was  disposed  to  make  his  court  to  the  great,  the 
fashionable,  and  the  wealthy.  A  part  of  the 
service  of  the  Church  of  England,  hitherto  en- 
tirely discarded,  was  introduced  into  Zion  Chap- 
el. The  solemn  tones  of  the  organ,  too,  swept 
by  the  fingers  of  his  sister,  accompanied  the 
songs  of  praise.  Great  offense  was  given  to  the 
society  by  these  innovations.      It  was  soon  ru- 


84  LIFE   AT   HOME. 

mored  that  he  was  about  to  make  his  peace  "with 
the  Church,  and  abandon  his  late  associates.  An 
unmarried  lady,  of  title  and  large  fortune,  the 
Hon.  Miss  G.,  was  seen  to  be  invariable  in  at- 
tendance on  his  ministry.  It  was  not  long  before 
this  lady  obtained  a  complete  ascendency  over  him, 
and  urged  upon  him  the  desirableness  of  his  en- 
tering the  Church,  in  order  to  rouse  the  Estab- 
lishment, and  promote  as  great  a  revival  within, 
as  he  had  for  years  without.  It  is  possible,  and 
so  it  was  said,  that  the  hope  of  a  miter  was  held 
out  to  him.  The  temptation  prevailed.  He  re- 
solved to  conform.  His  obeisance  was  made  and 
accepted.  He  was  enjoined  to  make  his  con- 
fession, and  be  publicly  rebuked.  This  humili- 
ating scene  took  place  in  his  own  chapel  in  Liv- 
erpool, which  he  succeeded  in  carrying  over  with 
him.  The  rebuke  was  administered  by  the  Rev. 
Hugh  M'Neile,  the  gifted  and  popular  rector  of 
St.  Jude's,  Liverpool.  It  was  an  occasion  of 
great  mortification  to  the  godly  men  and  women 
who  had  so  long  been  associated  with  him  in  pro- 
moting the  work  of  God.  Thousands  reproached 
him  for  his  Sampson-like  course,  in  betraying  the 
cause  of  his  Master  for  another  Delilah. 

The  Honorable  Miss  G.  became  the  wife  of  the 
Rev.  Robert  Aitken,  and  introduced  her  husband 
to  the  gentry  and  nobles,  among  whom  she  herself 
had  hitherto  moved.     He  resumed  his  ministry  in 


LIFE    AT    HOME.  35 

Hope-street  Chapel,  but  "  he  wist  not  that  the 
Lord  was  departed  from  him."  The  people  no 
longer  thronged  the  house  as  in  other  days.  The 
unction,  the  power,  the  soul,  were  gone.  The 
chapel  was  almost  deserted.  Despised  by  the 
people  whom  he  had  betrayed  for  a  woman,  he 
soon  grew  wearied  of  Liverpool,  and  sought  an- 
other place  of  service.  A  church  in  Leeds,  the 
great  woolen  metropolis,  was  in  want  of  a  minis- 
ter, and  Mr.  Aitken  obtained  the  situation.  It 
is  understood  that,  in  conformity,  he  now  out-Her- 
ods  Herod,  and  is  verging  even  upon  Popery  it- 
self. He  is  an  Anglo-Catholic  of  the  Oxford 
school,  and  quite  enamored  with  "  The  Tracts  for 
the  Times."  During  the  ten  years  immediate- 
ly succeeding  his  conversion,  he  was  valiant  for 
the  truth,  and  reaped  a  rich  harvest  of  souls. 
Thousands  on  thousands  were  awakened  under 
his  fervid  appeals  to  seek  the  Lord,  and  great 
numbers  were  hopefully  converted.  But  for  the 
last  ten  years  his  name  has  seldom  been  heard, 
and  never  in  connection  with  spiritual  awakenings 
and  revivals  of  religion.  Sad  and  impressive  is 
the  lesson  derived  from  his  experience.  It  was 
love  for  "  this  present  world,"  that  drew  a  De- 
mas  away  from  Paul  and  his  Master.  Like  the 
royal  lion,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Aitken  made  his  voice  to 
be  heard,  full  of  power,  majesty,  and  grandeur; 
but  "  a  dart  strikes  through  his  liver,"  and  he 


86  LIFE    AT    HOME. 

drops,  is  seized  and  tamed,  no  more  to  strike  ter- 
ror into  the  hearts  of  the  wicked — no  more  to 
sound  an  alarm  in  Zion.  Mournful  spectacle ! 
Alas  !  that  such  instances  are  not  more  rare. 

The  defection  of  their  leader  disheartened  the 
greater  part  of  the  brethren  associated  with  him, 
and  they  separated.  Many  of  them  became  con- 
nected with  other  dissenting  bodies,  and  continued 
to  serve  God  in  the  ministry,  carrying,  in  many 
cases,  their  churches  with  them.  A  small  num- 
ber of  them,  however,  resolved  not  to  abandon  the 
"  soul-saving"  work  to  which  they  had  devoted 
their  lives.  They  accordingly  combined,  and 
formed  an  Association,  entitled,  "  The  Ebenezer 
Christian  Missionary  Society."  The  object  of 
the  new  organization  was  set  forth  as  having  spe- 
cial relation  to  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  the 
large  manufacturing  and  sea-port  towns,  princi- 
pally in  the  North  of  England.  Mr.  Bertram  ad- 
hered to  this  missionary  band,  and  united  with 
them  in  this  organization. 

Mr.  Bertram  now  removed  to  the  large  and 
flourishing  town  of  Newcastle,  on  the  northern 
bank  of  the  river  Tyne,  in  Northumberland,  so 
long  renowned  for  its  collieries.  Here,  and  at 
North  Shields,  and  South  Shields— both  of  them 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Tyne,  about  eight  miles  to 
the  east  of  Newcastle — he  labored  effectively  in 
the  ministry  some  two  or  three  years.     He  spent 


LIFE    AT    HOME.  37 

about  nine  months,  in  1842-3,  on  Holy  Island, 
about  six  miles  southeast  of  Berwick-upon-Tweed, 
lying  near  the  coast  of  Northumberland,  in  the 
German  Ocean,  about  nine  miles  in  circumference. 
It  is  inhabited  mostly  by  fishermen,  whom  he  found 
in  a  very  neglected  state,  and  among  whom  he  ob- 
tained about  fifty  seals  to  his  ministry.  He  re- 
turned thence  to  Newcastle,  and,  after  a  short 
residence,  revisited  the  home  of  his  fathers  in 
Dumfries. 

A  period  of  almost  nine  years  had  now  elapsed 
since  his  consecration  to  the  work  of  the  ministry. 
The  whole  period  had  been  fully  occupied  in  ar- 
duous and  self-denying  labors,  principally  among 
the  poor  and  the  destitute.  He  had  been  a  mis- 
sionary from  the  beginning ;  nor  had  he  labored 
in  vain.  Hundreds  of  precious  souls,  among  the 
thousands  to  whom  he  had  ministered,  had  been, 
through  his  instrumentality,  brought  from  dark- 
ness to  light ;  while  to  many  more  he  had  admin- 
istered consolation  and  instruction  in  the  Lord,  to 
their  edification  and  growth  in  grace.  Nor  had 
he  wearied  of  his  work ;  he  delighted  in  it — he 
gloried  in  it.  It  was  a  source  of  increasing  de- 
light to  him,  and  a  perpetual  occasion  for  grati- 
tude to  God. 

But  he  had  come  to  regard  himself  as  under  a 
call  to  a  field  of  labor  still  more  self-denying  and 
laborious.      The  thrilling  appeals  from  foreign 

4 


38  LIFE    AT    HOME. 

missionaries,  for  more  laborers,  had  reached  his 
heart.  As  he  listened  occasionally  to  the  artless 
and  forcible  statements  made  by  some  of  these 
brethren,  who  had  returned  to  their  native  land  to 
recruit  their  exhausted  health,  worn  down  by  un- 
ceasing exertions  among  the  wretched,  the  ignor- 
ant, and  the  debased  heathen,  his  spirit  was 
stirred  within  him,  and  his  heart  panted  to  carry 
the  glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel  to  the  most  be- 
nighted of  Adam's  race.  At  home  he  saw  that 
thousands  of  godly  ministers  were  ready  to  break 
the  bread  of  life  to  the  hungry,  while  millions  of 
the  heathen  world  had  none  to  care  for  their  souls. 
He  could  not  rid  himself  of  the  conviction,  that 
duty  called  him  to  labor  among  the  heathen.  In 
the  strength  of  the  God  of  Jacob,  he  at  length  re- 
solved to  leave  his  native  land,  and  the  friends 
of  his  youth,  and  the  homes  of  civilization,  for 
some  pagan  shore.  He  withdrew,  in  consequence, 
from  the  society,  under  whose  auspices  he  had 
latterly  labored.  The  field  of  its  operations  was 
at  home  ;  they  sent  no  missionaries  abroad.  In 
closing  their  connection  with  him,  they  gave  him 
the  following  testimonial : 

" Ebenezer  Christian  Missionary  Society. 
[Official.] 
"  This  is  to  certify,  that  I  have  been  intimately 
acquainted,  and  labored  in  the  ministry  with  the 


LIFE    AT    HOME.  39 

Rev.  James   M'Gregor  Bertram  for  the  last 
seven  years,  during  which  time  he  has  maintained 
a  character  becoming  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ.     As  it  respects  his  ministerial  quali- 
fications, they  are  of  a  superior  order  ;   and  when- 
ever he  preached,  there  was  invariably  an  over- 
flowing congregation.     His  zeal  in  the  cause  of 
God  is  almost  unbounded;  and  his  success  in  win- 
ning souls  to  Christ  has  been  such  that  I  believe 
hundreds  shall  be  the  crown  of  his  rejoicing  when 
the  redeemed  are  gathered  home.     And  I  humbly 
pray  that  God  may  direct  him  to  that  sphere  of 
labor  where  he  will  be  most  useful,  and  where  he 
will  be  recompensed  for  his  valuable  labors. 
"  J.  D.  Richardson, 
u  Corresponding  Secretary, 
"  And  Pastor  of  the  Church,  South  Shields. 
«  South  Shields,   October  2Gth,  1844." 


CHAPTER  II. 

LIFE     AT      "THE      CAPE." 

The  visit  of  Mr.  Bertram  to  Dumfries,  in  1844, 
determined  the  course  of  his  future  life.  He  had 
formed  a  matrimonial  connection,  the  result  of  a 
youthful  attachment,  with  Mary,  the  daughter  of 
Mr.  Jonathan  Currie,  a  respectable  citizen  of 
Dumfries.  Three  children  were  born  to  them  in 
Hanicy,  Stockport,  and  Manchester — a  daughter 
and  two  sons.  Mrs.  Bertram,  whose  health  re- 
quired close  attention,  had  left  her  husband  at 
Newcastle-upon-Tyne,  in  the  spring  of  1844,  and, 
with  her  children,  had  spent  the  summer  season 
among  the  scenes  and  friends  of  her  childhood  in 
Kithsdale.  Mr.  Bertram  rejoined  them  in  the 
following  autumn. 

As  the  days  were  passing  pleasantly  along,  in 
the  midst  of  their  kindred,  and  in  the  renewal  of 
former  friendships,  Mr.  Bertram  very  casually, 
as  it  would  seem  to  all  but  reflecting  minds,  called 
one  day  at  the  counting-house,  or  ware-room,  of 
Mr.  James  Aflcck,  with  whom  he  entered  into  a 
free  conversation  on  the  subject  which  had  lately 


LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE.  41 

so  interested  his  own  mind — the  work  of  missions 
among  the  heathen. 

Perceiving  that  the  mind  of  Mr.  Bertram  was 
very  fully  set  on  going  abroad,  Mr.  Afleck  says 
to  him,  "  Come,  now,  if  you  wish  to  go  out  to  the 
heathen,  here  is  a  fine  chance  for  you;  the  brig 
Luna,  Capt.  Carmichael,  is  lying  down  at  the 
wharf,  taking  in  a  cargo  for  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope.  She  sails  in  about  a  fortnight,  and  a  Major 
M'Kee  goes  out  in  her  with  his  family,  so  that 
you  will  have  good  company  by  the  way.  She  is 
owned  by  the  house  of  Afleck,  Turner,  and  Co., 
and,  I  dare  say,  your  brother-in-law,  Thomas 
Currie,  will  see  my  brother  Samuel,  one  of  the 
owners,  and  secure  a  passage  for  yourself  and 
family." 

To  this  proposal  he  had  no  reply.  It  seemed 
to  him,  as  he  thought  of  it,  that  the  hand  of  God 
was  in  it.  He  went  away,  and  pondered  it  in 
his  heart.  The  more  he  thought  of  it,  the 
more  was  it  impressed  upon  his  mind,  that  God 
was  calling  him  to  embark  in  this  vessel  for  the 
scene  of  his  future  missionary  labors.  The  busi- 
ness, however,  required  haste.  He  could  not 
keep  it  long  in  abeyance.  The  brig  was  soon  to 
set  sail,  and  the  decision  must  be  made  without 
delay. 

But  this  was  not  the  only  avenue  of  usefulness 
that  was  opened  to  him.    A  chapel,  that  had  been 


42  LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE. 

occupied  by  an  Independent  Church,  in  Dumfries, 
was  now  vacant.  The  friends  of  himself  and  wife 
were  anxious  to  retain  him  among  them.  They  pro- 
posed to  him  the  gathering  of  a  congregation  on  the 
banks  of  the  Nith,  and  oifered  to  secure  the  vacant 
chapel  for  the  enterprise.  The  proposition  was 
attractive.  It  spread  before  him  a  beautiful  vista 
of  pleasant  scenes  and  delightful  prospects.  It 
would  have  been  exceedingly  grateful  to  all  the 
family  and  friends,  as  well  as  gratifying  to  himself. 
But  he  could  not  rid  himself  of  the  conviction,  that 
this  was  not  to  be  his  abiding-place.  He  carried 
the  matter,  day  by  day,  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and 
seemed  to  hear  a  voice  from  the  inner  sanctuary, 
saying  to  him  and  his,  "  Arise  ye,  and  depart ; 
for  this  is  not  your  rest."  His  doubts  were 
solved  ;  his  purpose  formed.  He  resolved  to  put 
himself  under  the  guidance  of  the  "fiery,  cloudy 
pillar,"  and  obey  the  voice  divine. 

Immediately,  therefore,  he  set  himself  to  the 
work  of  arranging  for  his  departure  in  the  Luna. 
He  made  known  his  intention  to  his  companion, 
who,  if  she  did  not  regard  him  as  already  a  victim 
of  "Luna"-cy,  thought  him  in  great  danger  of  it. 
But  repeated  representations  of  the  case  Becured 
at  length  her  assent  and  cooperation.  He  thru 
sought  another  interview  with  Mr.  Afleck,  and  told 
him  of  the  result  of  the  conversation  which  tiny 
had  had  together  a  few  days  before.     Mr.  Allcck 


LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE.  43 

consented  to  break  the  matter  to  Mr.  Currie,  Mr. 
Bertram's  wife's  brother,  whose  circumstances 
were  such  as  enabled  him  to  help  the  would-be 
voyagers  on  their  way,  if  he  should  approve  of 
their  course.  But  Mr.  Currie  was  one  of  your 
prudent,  worldly-wise  men,  that  are  wont  to  have 
great  faith  in  the  old  proverb,  "A  bird  in  the  hand 
is  worth  two  in  the  bush."  He  had  never  approved 
of  the  roving  life  that  his  sister  had  led,  and  very 
plainly  told  her  and  her  husband,  that  it  was  high 
time  for  them  to  settle  down,  and  lead  a  more 
quiet  life.  Mrs.  Currie,  the  widowed  mother  of 
Mrs.  Bertram,  an  excellent  lady,  attached  to  the 
Church  of  Scotland,  and  a  worthy  member  of  the 
kirk,  united  with  her  son  Thomas  in  these  repre- 
sentations. But  when  they  saw  that  the  heart 
of  Mr.  Bertram  was  fully  set  in  him  to  go  to  the 
heathen,  they  "  ceased ;  saying,  The  will  of  the 
Lord  be  done !" 

Through  the  good  offices  of  Mr.  Currie,  a  pass- 
age was  secured  for  Mr.  Bertram,  his  wife,  and 
two  youngest  children,  in  the  brig,  for  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  the  expense  of  which  Mr.  Currie 
paid  from  his  own  purse.  He  also  furnished  them 
with  a  very  suitable  outfit,  valued  at  about  one 
hundred  pounds.  Their  eldest  child,  a  son,  was 
left  with  Mr.  Bertram's  sister,  Mrs.  James  Ham- 
ilton, at  Manchester,  who  had  ever  shown  a  great 
fondness  for  him,  and  desired  to  retain  and  bring 


44  LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE. 

him  up  as  her  own,  having  had  the  charge  of  him 
since  he  was  eighteen  months  old. 

The  Luna  sailed  about  the  first  of  November, 
1844,  with  Major  M'Kee,  Mr.  Bertram,  and 
their  families,  as  passengers.  It  might  truly  be 
said  of  the  missionary,  as  it  was  of  the  Father  of 
the  faithful,  that  "  he  went  out,  not  knowing 
whither  he  went."  No  missionary  society  had 
taken  him  under  its  fostering  care,  and  given  him 
instructions  as  to  his  future  course.  He  went  at 
his  own  charges,  so  far  as  his  missionary  service 
was  concerned.  He  went  forth  without  purse  or 
scrip,  assured  that  He  who  feeds  the  ravens  and 
the  sparrows,  and  clothes  the  lilies  of  the  field, 
would  give  both  food  and  raiment  to  him  and  his. 
Though  destitute  of  all  earthly  dependence,  and 
having  not  where  to  lay  his  head  when  he  should 
reach  the  Cape,  he  could  say,  in  the  sweet  words 
of  one  of  New  England's  sons  : 

"  Yes,  I  hasten  from  you  gladly, 
From  the  scenes  I  love  so  well ; 

Far  away,  ye  billows,  bear  me, 
Lovely  native  load,  farewell! 

Pleased  I  leave  thee, 

Far  in  heathen  lands  to  dwell." 

His  fellow-voyagers  were,  by  no  means,  such  as 
a  pious  heart  would  have  chosen  for  companions. 
The  captain  and  crew,  as  is  so  commonly  the  case, 
had  not  the  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes.     The 


LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE.  45 

most  of  them  were  shockingly  addicted  to  profan- 
ity, and  frequently  their  oaths  and  blasphemies 
could  be  heard  above  the  bowlings  of  the  tempest, 
with  which,  on  several  occasions,  the  vessel  was 
furiously  assailed.  Major  M'Kee  had  spent  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  in  the  East  Indies,  in  the 
service  of  the  Hon.  East  India  Company.  Having 
reared  a  numerous  family,  he  had  returned  to 
Scotland,  his  native  land,  to  spend  his  declining 
years  in  retirement  and  comfort.  But  the  keen 
blasts  of  the  North  were  too  severe  for  a  constitu- 
tion that  had  so  long  been  tempered  by  the  enerv- 
ating heat  of  a  torrid  clime,  and  he  was  compelled 
to  seek  a  home  in  a  land  more  congenial  to  health 
and  life.  The  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  where  he  had 
formerly  tested  the  proverbial  mildness  of  the  at- 
mosphere, offered  him  a  pleasant  home,  and  thither 
he  had  now  turned  his  face.  Like  the  most  of 
those  who  are  bred  to  arms,  the  major  was  as 
profane  as  the  captain  and  crew. 

The  voyagers  encountered,  as  before  intimated, 
a  number  of  terrific  storms,  of  which  the  last  was 
far  the  most  furious.  While  the  ungodly  crew 
were  pouring  forth  their  imprecations,  and  in- 
voking damnation  in  their  cursings  and  blasphe- 
mies, the  missionary  betook  himself  to  prayer, 
fervent  and  importunate,  apprehensive  that  so 
much  impiety  would  draw  down  upon  them  the 
vengeance  of  heaven.     His  prayers  were  heard, 


46  LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE. 

and,  full  of  gratitude  to  God  for  His  sparing  mer- 
cy, he  resolved  to  make  a  renewed  effort  for  the 
reform  and  salvation  of  those  with  whom  he  sailed. 
He  took  the  captain  aside,  when  the  storm  had 
subsided,  and  remonstrated  with  him,  kindly  but 
faithfully,  on  the  impropriety  and  wickedness  of 
his  course  of  life.  He  pursued  the  same  treat- 
ment with  the  first  mate.  They  listened,  and 
were  not  enraged.  Permission  was  given  the 
missionary  to  hold,  when  the  weather  would  per- 
mit, during  the  remainder  of  the  voyage,  a  daily 
morning  and  evening  service  of  prayer,  and  to 
preach  on  the  Sabbath. 

From  this  time  forward,  every  morning  and 
evening,  the  word  of  God  was  read  in  the  cabin, 
and  the  voice  of  prayer  was  heard.  The  cap- 
tain, who  was  by  no  means  a  hardened  wretch, 
and  whose  conscience  was  quite  alive,  piped  all 
hands  that  could  be  spared  from  duty,  and,  with 
considerable  reverence,  he  and  they  waited  upon 
the  services  of  their  chaplain.  On  the  Sabbath 
they  were  no  less  attentive  to  the  preaching  of 
the  word.  A  marked  and  delightful  change  in 
the  deportment,  of  both  the  officers  and  their  crew 
soon  was  manifested.  Nor  was  the  change  less 
observable  in  the  cabin.  The  old  East  India  sol- 
dier, who  had  never,  in  all  his  life,  save  perhaps  in 
childhood,  bowed  his  knee  in  prayer,  became  an 
earnest   seeker   of  the   way  of  salvation.      Ere 


LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE.  47 

long  he  might  be  seen  gathering  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren around  him,  reading  to  them  a  lesson  from 
the  Holy  Scriptures  ;  and  then,  on  bended  knees, 
pouring  forth  his  fervent  supplications  to  God  in 
their  behalf.  The  voice  of  profanity  was  hushed, 
and  the  voice  of  prayer  and  praise  arose.  God 
was  with  His  servant,  and  owned  his  humble  la- 
bors, while  on  the  way  to  his  destined  haven. 
The  concluding  part  of  the  voyage  was  as  pleas- 
ant as  the  former  part  had  been  trying.  Not  a 
few  of  that  company  who  embarked  on  the  Luna  at 
Dumfries,  full  of  cursing  and  bitterness,  will  re- 
member, with  eternal  gratitude  to  the  Almighty, 
their  happy  experience  in  the  South  Atlantic 
Ocean,  while  they  were  drawing  nigh  to  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  and  beginning,  some  of  them,  to 
entertain  a  "good  hope,  through  grace,"  of  en- 
tering a  haven  of  everlasting  rest. 

At  the  expiration  of  the  tenth  or  eleventh  week, 
the  wearied  voyagers  were  greeted  with  the  ever- 
welcome  cry  of  "  Land  !"  The  elevated  mount- 
ain-range, that  commences  at  Table  Bay,  and 
stretches  some  two  hundred  miles  in  a  northerly 
direction  along  the  western  coast  of  the  southern 
extremity  of  Africa,  was  seen  spreading  out  before 
their  gladdened  eyes.  As  they  neared  the  shore, 
they  could  easily  distinguish,  by  its  peculiar  for- 
mation, the  huge  mass  of  rock,  rising  more  than 
three  thousand  five  hundred  feet  almost  directly 


48  LIFE    AT   THE    CAPE. 

out  of  the  ocean,  whose  flattened  top  has  given  it 
the  name  of  "  Table  Mountain."  The  "  Devil's 
Peak,"  an  almost  conical  elevation,  towered  a  lit- 
tle to  the  left,  to  the  height  of  more  than  three 
thousand  three  hundred  feet ;  while  on  the  right, 
and  more  distant,  two  peculiar  prominences,  re- 
sembling a  crouching  lion,  to  which  have  been  in 
consequence  affixed  the  name  of  the  "  Lion's 
Head,"  and  the  "  Lion's  Rump,"  the  former 
nearly  two  thousand  eight  hundred  feet  in  height, 
and  the  latter  more  than  eleven  hundred,  com- 
pleted the  background  of  the  noble  picture,  to 
which  all  eyes  on  board  of  the  Luna  were  now  ea- 
gerly directed.  They  were  presently  abreast  of  a 
beautiful  cluster  of  white  villas,  bearing  the  name 
of  Green  Point,  on  their  right  as  they  entered  the 
bay,  embowered  among  verdure. 

The  bay,  which  also  derives  its  name  from  the 
mountain,  is  approached  from  the  northwest,  and 
is  open  to  the  winds  that  blow  from  that  direc- 
tion. As  these  winds  prevail  most  in  the  winter 
months,  May,  June,  July,  and  August,  the  road- 
stead— for  it  can  scarcely  be  called  a  harbor,  for 
want  of  a  breakwater — is  then  very  insecure,  and 
frequently  becomes  the  scene  of  great  distress.  In 
the  month  of  August,  1842,  only  two  years  and  a 
half  before  Mr.  Bertram's  arrival,  the  convict 
ship  "  Waterloo,"  and  the  transport  ship  "  Aber- 
crombie   Robinson,"  had  gone  to  pieces  on  the 


LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE.  49 

rocks  in  the  bay,  when  more  than  a  hundred  of 
the  convicts  found  a  watery  grave.  At  the  south- 
ern extremity  of  the  bay,  the  long  line  of  white 
houses  marks  the  site  of  "  Cape  Town,"  the  prin- 
cipal settlement  of  the  colony  of  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope.  It  lies  on  a  gently  ascending  strip  of 
ground,  nearly  three  miles  wide,  that  occupies  the 
space  between  the  mountain  and  the  beach,  and 
is  a  thriving,  busy,  and  spacious  town  of  more 
than  thirty  thousand  inhabitants,  with  its  Gov- 
ernment-house, Garrison,  Forts,  Parade-ground, 
Exchange,  churches,  chapels,  College,  school- 
houses,  and  other  public  buildings.  The  Luna 
had  now  reached  her  destination,  and  her  anchor 
was  dropped  in  the  roadstead,  among  the  ship 
ping,  some  distance  from  the  beach. 

As  Mr.  Bertram  and  his  family  were  leaving 
the  brig,  and  were  in  the  act  of  going  over  the 
gangway  to  enter  the  boat  that  was  to  carry  them 
to  the  beach,  the  seamen  came  crowding  around 
him  to  bid  him  farewell.  It  was  hard  for  them  to 
part  with  one,  whose  voice  had  roused  them  from 
the  dreadful  stupidity  that  was  hurrying  them  to 
endless  destruction,  and  awakened  within  them, 
by  the  blessing  of  God,  an  earnest  desire  for  the 
salvation  of  their  souls,  through  the  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  These  hardy  sons  of  the 
ocean  were  completely  overcome  ;  they  wept  and 
sobbed  like  children.     He  who  had  been  their 

5 


50  LIFE    AT   THE    CAPE. 

ringleader  in  all  mischief  and  iniquity,  the  most 
daring,  hardened,  and  blasphemous  wretch  among 
them,  John  M'Donald,  who  had  grown  gray  in 
profanity  and  dissipation,  was  now  the  most  af- 
fected to  tenderness.  They  could  not  consent 
that  the  missionary  should  leave  them  thus,  to  re- 
turn to  them  no  more  •,  and  so  they  entreated  him 
to  come  hack  to  the  ship  :  "  We  cannot  hear  of 
3'our  leaving  us,  Mr.  Bertram,"  they  cried,  "  un- 
less you  promise  to  come  hack  and  preach  to  us 
next  Sabbath,  as  you  have  been  in  the  habit  of 
doing.  We  never  read  our  Bibles,  or  thought  of 
our  poor  souls,  or  of  the  Almighty  himself,  until 
you  came  on  board  the  Luna.  You  must  come 
and  preach  to  us  again."  Mr.  Bertram  very 
readily  gave  his  consent,  and  assured  them  that, 
if  it  pleased  God,  he  would  surely  be  with  them 
the  next  Sabbath  morning. 

It  was  literally  a  new  world  into  which  our  voy- 
agers had  been  introduced.  It  seemed  strange  to 
them,  that  the  atmosphere  was  so  hot  and  almost 
stilling  in  the  month  of  January  ;  and  that  the 
land  before  them  was  clothed  with  the  rich  ver- 
dure and  vegetation  of  midsummer.  The  habita- 
tions also,  so  low,  and  so  quaint,  with  their  ga- 
bles to  the  streets,  covered  with  whitewash,  and 
adorned  with  green  Venetians,  each  with  its  stoop 
or  porch  before  it,  after  the  manner  of  the  old 
Knickerbockers,  seemed  exceedingly  odd.      Tho 


LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE.  51 

small  window-panes,  and  the  singular  sign-boards, 
and  the  absence  of  shop  windows,  had  a  singular 
effect.  They  were  greatly  amused  at  the  almost 
constant  serenading  of  the  barn- fowl,  and  the  vast 
number  and  variety  of  lazy  dogs,  of  which  no  two 
scarcely  were  alike.  But  most  of  all  were  they 
impressed  with  the  strangeness  of  the  people 
whom  they  met.  At  home  they  had  seldom  seen 
a  genuine  tawny  son  of  Africa ;  but  here  they 
were  seen  on  every  hand,  and  of  all  descriptions 
and  shades  of  ebony.  They  seemed  to  be  the 
most  numerous  portion  of  the  population.  There 
were  the  Hottentots,  or  "  Tottics,"  as  they  are 
familiarly  called,  the  aborigines  of  the  territory, 
of  stunted  growth,  and  sallow  skin,  like  "  the 
seared  and  yellow  leaf,"  not  a  little  bedaubed 
with  grease  and  filth — with  their  angular  faces, 
flat  noses,  high  cheek-bones,  pouting  lips,  woolly 
heads,  and  small,  sunken,  twinkling  eyes  ;  ar- 
rayed in  their  ragged,  thread-bare  jackets,  leather 
trowsers,  or  "  crackers,"  and  crumpled,  slouch- 
ing, broad-brimmed  straw  hats  ;  and  their  vrouws, 
as  the  Dutch  call  them,  of  corresponding  repul- 
siveness  of  person,  in  their  patched  and  not  over- 
cleanly  chintz  gowns,  and  turbans  made  of  crimson 
cotton  handkerchiefs.  There,  too,  was  the  genu- 
ine African  negro,  of  the  deepest  dye,  of  woolly 
hair,  and  protruding  lips,  the  "  galley"  of  the 
Cape,  the  patient  bearer  of  burdens,  whose  home, 


52  LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE. 

or  that  of  his  fathers,  was  Mozambique  or  Mada- 
gascar— once  the  slave,  the  property,  of  the  colo- 
nist, but  now  free,  and  working  for  him  as  any- 
other  laborers.  To  these  must  be  added,  the 
swarthy  Malays,  imported  from  the  East  Indies, 
and  commonly  known  in  the  British  colonies  as 
coolies ;  a  patient,  industrious,  and  useful  race, 
that  serve  as  mechanics,  and  house-servants,  and 
fishermen.  These,  and  their  various  intermix- 
tures, swarming  everywhere,  and  mingled  with 
various  other  African  tribes,  and  the  copper- 
skinned  sons  of  China,  and  various  nondescript 
specimens  of  humanity  from  the  far  East,  of  all 
aspects,  of  every  variety  of  complexion,  and  hab- 
its of  dress,  formed  a  population  most  singular  as 
well  as  novel  to  the  newly-arrived.  These  were 
the  laboring  classes,  and  the  lower  strata  of  so- 
ciety. 

But  hardly  less  remarkable  was  the  variety 
among  the  whites.  Of  these,  a  very  large  propor- 
tion they  found  to  be  of  Dutch  descent ;  the  colony 
having  been  principally  settled  by  the  Lowlandera 
of  Holland,  just  two  hundred  years  ago  (1652), 
under  Dr.  John  Anthony  Van  Riebcck,  their  first 
governor,  and  having  continued  in  their  possession 
until  the  close  of  the  last  century.  For  the  last 
half-century  it  has  been  under  the  British  govern- 
ment. The  Dutch  continue  to  form  the  staple  of 
the  peasantry,  and  retain,  to  a  great  extent,  the 


LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE.  53 

primitive  manners  and  customs,  as  well  as  the 
language,  of  their  ancestors  of  the  seventeenth 
century. 

It  was  curious  to  ohserve  the  singular  head- 
dress, also,  to  which  so  many  were  addicted  ;  the 
red  handkerchiefs  with  which  their  heads  were 
bound,  in  many  cases,  and  the  conical  straw  hats, 
somewhat  resembling  inverted  funnels  ;  and  to  see 
eight  or  ten  yoke  of  oxen  harnessed  to  a  rudely- 
built  wagon,  sometimes  heavily  loaded,  but  as 
often  with  almost  nothing  in  it,  like  a  huge  ele- 
phant tugging  at  a  mouse.  Very  refreshing,  too, 
it  was  to  see  the  little  flower-gardens  in  front  of 
the  houses,  with  their  blooming  roses,  and  climb- 
ing vines,  and  orange  trees  with  their  golden  fruit; 
and  even  hedges  of  roses,  myrtles,  aloes,  and  cac- 
tuses blooming  profusely,  and  filling  the  pure  at- 
mosphere with  their  delicious  fragrance ;  and  to 
walk  in  the  grateful  shade  of  the  long  rows  of 
venerable  oaks,  poplars,  and  pines  that  line  the 
sides  of  the  principal  avenues. 

They  found,  also,  that  the  town  almost  covered 
the  plot  of  ground  extending  from  the  beach 
southward  to  the  almost  perpendicular  sides  of 
Table  Mountain ;  that  the  broad  streets  inter- 
sected each  other  at  right  angles  ;  that  some  of 
them  were  threaded  with  canals,  as  in  Holland ; 
that  most  of  them  were  destitute  of  sidewalks, 
and  many  of  them  without  any  pavements ;    and 


54  LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE. 

that  the  upper  part  of  the  town,  near  the  mount- 
ain, is  watered  by  a  sprightly  stream  that  issues 
from  the  upland  on  the  east,  and  finds  its  way 
into  Table  Bay,  at  Cape  Town  ;    the  banks  of 
which    are    the    resort   of   hosts  of  laundresses. 
They  were  gratified  to  find  that  there  were  nu- 
merous walks  and  drives  in  and  around  the  town, 
of  the  most  inviting  character,  and  in  the  midst 
of  beautiful  scenery ;   especially  over  the  macad- 
amized road  that  leads  eastward  to  Simon's  Bay, 
amid   corn-fields,   orchards,    gardens,    and    vine- 
yards,  shadowed    overhead  with    stately  aspens, 
darkly-waving   pines,   and   majestic    oaks,   along 
the  base  of  the  Devil's  Peak,  with  its  cloud-capped 
summit,  to  the  little  village  of  Rondebosch,  and  the 
charming  villas  of  Wynberg,  a  spot  full  of  beauty, 
and  enjoying  a  most  delightful  temperature  of  the 
atmosphere,  the  favored  resort  of  the  citizens  of 
Cape  Town,  from  which  it  is  distant  about  seven 
or  eight  miles  ;    and  that  gardens  and  pleasui-e- 
grounds,  glittering  with   the  graceful  foliage  of 
the    Protca    Argentea    (silver     tree),    extended 
around  the  town,  indicative  of  wealth,  pleasure, 
and  refinement.     Their  attention  was  particularly 
directed  t<>  the  noble  square,  or  parade-ground, 
called    the    "  Ileerc    Gracht,"    covering    several 
acres  of  ground,  in  the  midst  of  which  stands  the 
handsome    structure,    called    the    "  Commcreial 
Rooms,"  and  the  far-famed  library  of  the  Cape. 


LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE.  55 

Here,  under  the  noble  avenues  of  pi<nes,  with  their 
foliage  of  deepest  green,  sheltering  from  the  burn- 
ing rays  of  an  almost  tropical  sun,  troops  of  gay 
pedestrians  might  be  seen  enjoying  the  balmy  at- 
mosphere, and  luxuriating  in  the  midst  of  the 
grand  and  inspiring  scenery.  Every  thing  seemed 
to  conspire  to  arrest  their  attention,  and  to  furnish 
them  with  pleasing  topics  of  thought  and  conver- 
sation. 

While  they  found  so  much  that  was  strange 
and  peculiar,  they  also  found  that,  even  there,  the 
gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  had  shed  its  hal- 
lowed influence  over  Africans  and  Asiatics,  as  well 
as  the  boors  and  the  British.  Mr.  Bertram  had 
been  furnished  with  letters  of  introduction  to  sev- 
eral of  the  servants  of  God  who  had  made  the 
Cape  their  home.  Immediately  on  his  arrival,  he 
sought  out  these  worthy  men,  and  was  most 
heartily  welcomed  to  the  southern  hemisphere. 
He  found  himself  very  speedily  at  home  in  the 
society  of  that  venerable  man  of  God,  the  Rev. 
John  Philip,  D.D.,  who,  since  1829,  had  occu- 
pied the  position  of  superintendent  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society's  operations  in  Southern  Africa, 
the  tidings  of  whose  recent  decease  have  been  re- 
ceived with  so  much  sorrow  by  the  Christian  world. 
The  Rev.  John  C.  Brown,  also,  the  minister  of 
Union  Chapel  (Congregational),  formerly  of  St. 
Petersburg!!,  Russia,  the  grandson  of  the  renowned 


56  LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE. 

John  Brown,  of  Haddington,  Scotland,  whose  visit 
to  America,  in  1836,  will  be  remembered  with 
pleasure  by  all  who  formed  an  acquaintance  with 
him,  and  who  has  subsequently  resided  at  Cape 
Town,  as  the  assistant  of  Dr.  Philip,  gave  him  a 
cordial  greeting.  But  from  none  did  he  find  a 
more  warm  and  brotherly  reception  than  from  the 
Rev.  George  Morgan,  of  the  Scottish  Church, 
pastor  of  St.  Andrew's,  Somerset  Road,  who  from 
the  first  deeply  interested  himself  in  the  peculiar 
mission  of  Mr.  Bertram,  and  continued  to  mani- 
fest the  same  untiring  interest  to  the  last  moment 
of  his  stay  at  the  Cape.  Through  the  kind  offi- 
ces of  these  and  other  Christian  friends,  to  whom 
he  was  introduced,  among  whom  the  name  of  the 
excellent  and  learned  James  Adamson,  D.D.,  de- 
serves special  mention,  Mr.  Bertram  was  soon 
provided  with  agreeable  lodgings  at  the  Cape,  and 
encouraged  in  his  plans  for  missionary  service. 

On  the  morning  of  the  first  Sabbath  day  after 
his  arrival,  he  went  down  to  the  beach,  to  go  on 
board  the  Luna,  and  preach  to  his  former  ship- 
mates, agreeably  to  his  appointment  on  leaving 
them  to  go  ashore.  He  found  Captain  Carmichael 
waiting  for  him  with  his  boat,  and  glad  to  receive 
him  on  board.  To  his  surprise  he  found,  on  reach- 
ing the  vessel,  that  the  deck  was  almost  covered 
with  seamen,  who  had  conic  from  other  vessels  in 
the  harbor  to  hear  a  sermon  from  the  missionary. 


LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE.  57 

On  inquiry,  he  was  told  that  all  this  was  the  work 
of  "Jimmy  Watt."  Jimmy  was  an  uneducated 
Scotch  carpenter,  who  had  resided  at  Cape  Town 
about  fifteen  or  twenty  }^ears,  and,  during  all  this 
time,  had  untiringly  cared,  without  compensation, 
for  the  religious  welfare  of  the  thousands  of  sea- 
men who  had  visited  the  port.  Having  furnished 
himself  with  a  small  boat,  he  was  wont,  on  the 
morning  of  the  Sabbath,  when  the  weather  would 
permit,  to  take  with  him  a  bundle  of  religious 
tracts,  and  row  out  into  the  anchorage,  where  not 
a  few  vessels  were  always  to  be  found,  and  visit 
as  many  of  them  as  he  could,  distributing  his 
tracts  to  the  seamen,  and  dropping  a  word  or  two 
of  good  advice  to  each  of  them,  as  opportunity  of- 
fered. If  at  any  time  he  could  obtain  from  one 
of  the  shipmasters  the  privilege  of  a  public  gath- 
ering on  the  Sabbath  for  a  sermon,  he  would  en- 
deavor to  prevail  upon  some  one  of  the  ministers 
of  the  place,  or  missionaries  who  might  be  stop- 
ping there  for  a  few  days  or  weeks,  to  accompany 
him  in  his  little  boat  to  the  Bethel,  and  give  a 
sermon  to  the  sailors,  whom  he  took  good  care  to 
invite  from  all  the  vessels  in  the  harbor.  He  had 
thus  gained  the  good-will  of  the  mariners,  and  ac- 
complished no  small  amount  of  spiritual  good. 

As  soon  as  Jimmy  Watt  learned  of  the  appoint- 
ment on  board  of  the  Luna,  he  was  on  the  alert, 
and  spread  the  information  among  all  the  seamen 


58  LIFE    AT   THE    CAPE. 

at  the  port)  with  an  invitation  to  attend  the  service 
on  Sabbath  morning.  Nor  had  the  captain  of  the 
Luna  been  idle.  Between  them  both,  a  large  con- 
gregation had  been  gathered,  to  whom  Mr.  Bertram 
proclaimed  the  message  of  salvation.  Several  of 
the  shipmasters  also  had  come  to  hear  him,  to 
whom  he  was  introduced  after  the  services  were 
concluded.  One  of  them  pointed  to  his  vessel, 
and  said,  "  There,  Mr.  Bertram,  is  my  ship." 
"  A  fine,  large  vessel,"  he  replied  ;  "  how  long  do 
you  remain  in  port?"  "Two  or  three  weeks, 
perhaps,"  was  the  answer.  "  Well,  then,"  he 
asked  again,  "  can't  I  preach  on  board  your  ship 
next  Sabbath  day  ?"  "  Certainly,  Mr.  Bertram," 
was  the  quick  response  ;  "  I  shall  be  most  happy 
to  have  you  come  and  preach  on  board,  and  I'll 
take  care  to  see  that  every  thing  is  ready  for  you." 
Accordingly,  on  the  following  Sabbath  he  went, 
and  found  a  still  larger  congregation  than  on  the 
previous  occasion.  Sabbath  after  Sabbath  he 
went  and  preached,  while  the  number  of  his  hear- 
ers was  continually  increasing. 

The  work,  into  which  he  had  thus  been  provi- 
dentially directed,  began  also  to  attract  the  atten- 
tion of  the  numerous  Christian  people  of  the  town. 
They  looked  upon  his  coming  as  a  call  of  God,  to 
lead  them  to  do  something  for  the  hundreds  and 
thousands  of  seamen  who  resorted  to  that  port. 
They  held  a  preliminary  meeting,  and  then  a  sec- 


LIFE    AT    THE  CAPE.  59 

ond  more  general  meeting,  at  which  it  was  de- 
termined to  secure  a  sufficient  salary,  and  engage 
Mr.  Bertram  to  labor  as  the  seamen's  chaplain  at 
Cape  Town.  With  this  arrangement  Mr.  Bertram 
was  satisfied,  although  it  was  not  just  the  thing  that 
had  brought  him  from  Scotland  ;  but,  as  the  hand 
of  God  was  so  plainly  in  it,  he  could  not  as  yet 
withdraw  from  it. 

Just,  however,  as  he  was  entering  fully  into  his 
work,  he  was  laid  aside  for  a  time  by  a  severe  dis- 
order in  one  of  his  knees,  during  which  period  he 
received  the  utmost  attention  from  his  friend, 
Rev.  George  Morgan.  By  the  kind  and  generous 
services  of  Dr.  Bickersteth,  under  God's  blessing, 
he  obtained,  after  a  short  season  of  pain,  entire 
relief,  and  resumed  his  labors. 

Another  sphere  of  usefulness  was  presently 
opened  to  him.  One  of  the  brethren  of  the  Bap- 
tist persuasion  called  upon  him  on  a  Sabbath 
morning,  to  direct  his  attention  to  a  work  in  which 
he  himself,  full  of  zeal  and  devotion,  had  for  some 
time  been  employed.  "  I  have  heard,"  said  he, 
"  of  your  preaching  among  the  seamen  in  the  har- 
bor, and  it  has  given  me  great  joy.  It  is  needed 
very  much.  But  I  want  you  to  come  down  this 
afternoon  and  preach  to  the  prisoners,  who  are  in 
still  greater  need,  if  possible.  We  have  a  snug 
little  chapel  within  the  prison  walls,  where  you  can 
be  accommodated  with  a  pretty  large  congrega- 


60  LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE. 

tion ;  for  the  prison  is  quite  full,  principally,  too, 
of  seamen,  ■who  have  committed  some  depredation, 
or  other  enormity,  on  ship-board.  I  myself  go 
down  at  times  and  read  to  them  a  portion  of  God's 
•word,  and  sometimes  venture  upon  a  few  remarks. 
But  you  can  be  of  far  greater  service  to  them,  and 
I  hope  that  you  will  consent  to  go  down  and  preach 
to  them  this  p.m.  at  three  o'clock."  Mr.  Ber- 
tram consented  to  go,  after  preaching  to  the  sail- 
ors in  the  morning. 

A  scene  of  peculiar  interest  was  presented  in 
the  afternoon,  when  he  -went  down  to  the  prison. 
The  brother  who  had  invited  him  informed  the 
keeper  of  the  object  of  their  coming,  by  -whose  di- 
rection the  turnkey  opened  the  cells,  and  marched 
the  inmates  into  the  chapel.  But  such  an  un- 
couth, disorderly,  and  unmannerly  assembly  he  had 
never  before  addressed  or  seen.  They  seemed  to 
have  been  the  victims  of  long-continued  dissipa- 
tion, and  to  have  indulged  in  all  manner  of  un- 
godliness. One  or  two  of  them  had  even  been  ar- 
raigned for  murder.  It  was  with  some  instinct- 
ive shudderings  that  he  saw  the  key  turned  upon 
himself  and  attendant,  and  felt  that  he  was  com- 
pletely at  the  mercy  of  these  unprincipled  creat- 
ures. 

But  without  delay  he  addressed  himself  to  his 
work.  As  for  reducing  them  to  any  kind  of  or- 
der, it  seemed  utterly  impossible.      They  were 


LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE.  61 

noisy,  rough,  and  profane,  jostling  each  other 
about  as  if  determined  to  prevent  the  missionary's 
object,  and  to  produce  as  much  confusion  and  dis- 
turbance as  possible.  It  seemed  to  be  a  hopeless 
task  to  undertake  to  gain  the  attention  of  such  a 
rude  and  ungodly  assembly.  It  was  like  casting 
"  pearls  before  swine."  Yet,  in  the  strength  of 
the  Lord,  he  determined  to  make  the  trial. 

The  brother,  who  had  introduced  him,  com- 
menced the  service  by  giving  out  a  hymn,  which 
they  two  sang  alone  as  well  as  they  could.  Mr. 
Bertram  followed  with  prayer  and  a  portion  of 
Scripture.  Still,  the  disturbance  ceased  not ;  and 
the  irreverence  of  the  audience  was  unblushing 
and  shocking,  so  much  so  as  almost  to  compel  the 
missionary  to  abandon  the  attempt  in  despair. 
However,  he  resolved  to  go  through  with  the  serv- 
ice, if  possible,  and  look  to  God  to  bring  his  un- 
manageable hearers  into  something  like  subjec- 
tion. 

Among  this  singular  audience,  the  eye  of  the 
speaker  had  caught  sight  of  one,  a  tall,  muscular, 
lion-hearted  fellow,  with  large  whiskers  and  a  bra- 
zen face,  who  seemed  to  be  the  ringleader  in  all  this 
mischief.  Having  taken  his  text,  Mr.  Bertram 
endeavored  to  bring  the  burning  truth  of  God's 
word  to  bear  particularly  and  pointedly  on  this 
hardened  creature,  while  the  disturbance  still  con- 
tinued.    At  length,  "  the  strong  man  armed"  was 

6 


62  LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE. 

seen  to  bow  his  head,  as  one  crest-fallen  and 
ashamed.  When  that  head  was  again  lifted  up, 
it  was  evident  that  the  fountains  of  feeling  had 
been  reached,  for  the  tears  had  been  coursing 
each  other  down  his  cheeks.  The  tender  sympa- 
thy began  to  spread,  and  one  and  another  to  pre- 
serve something  like  respectful  silence,  so  that 
the  service  was  concluded  with  much  more  de- 
cency and  propriety  than  was  observed  at  the  com- 
mencement. 

Encouraged  by  the  success  attendant  upon  this 
first  effort,  Mr.  Bertram  resolved  to  preach  to 
them  again,  and  to  repeat  his  visits  from  Sabbath 
to  Sabbath,  if  the  way  should  be  open.  On  the 
following  Sabbath  he  succeeded  still  better,  and 
had  a  comparatively  sedate  audience.  An  oppor- 
tunity also  presented  itself  for  a  weekly  sermon  at 
the  hospital ;  so  that  he  soon  had  as  much  work 
on  his  hands  as  he  could  well  manage.  Every 
Sabbath  he  preached  in  the  morning  to  the  sail- 
ors, in  the  afternoon  to  the  prisoners,  and  at  five 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  to  the  poor,  diseased  in- 
mates of  the  hospital.  It  was  among  some  of  the 
most  degraded,  criminal,  and  wretched  of  the  pre- 
tenders to  civilization  that  he  was  thus  called  to 
labor ;  nor  did  he  shrink  from  it,  or  sigh  for  a 
more  elevated  class  of  hearers.  It  was  for  such 
as  these  that  Jesus  had  died  ;  and  none,  more  than 
they,  could  profit  by  the  purchase  of  the  Redeem- 


LlfE    AT   THE    CAPE.  63 

er's  blood ;  and  surely  none  could  be  found  who 
more  needed  the  benefits  of  that  purchase.  The 
meek  and  lowly  Saviour,  who  came  to  seek  and 
save  that  which  was  lost,  and  whom  none  heard 
so  gladly  as  the  common  people,  the  poor,  the 
wretched,  and  the  outcast,  was  pleased  to  stand 
by  His  feeble  servant,  and  strengthen  him  for  his 
self-denying  and  arduous  work.  And  never  did 
that  servant  more  habitually  feel  that  he  was 
walking  in  the  footsteps  of  the  God-man,  the 
great  pioneer  in  the  work  of  missions  to  the  per- 
ishing. 

Not  many  weeks  after  the  introduction  of  these 
services  among  the  prisoners,  the  turnkey  came 
up,  on  a  Monday  morning,  to  the  lodgings  of  Mr. 
Bertram,  and  desired  him  to  go  down  speedily  to 
the  prison,  as  his  help  was  very  much  needed.  A 
strange  occurrence  had  taken  place.  "  Why, 
sir,"  said  the  turnkey,  "  when  we  took  the  break- 
fast to  the  prisoners  this  morning,  instead  of  being 
accosted  with  profane  jesting,  and  blasphemous 
oaths,  as  usual,  several  of  them  appeared  to  be  in 
the  greatest  distress,  and  begged  us,  for  God's 
sake,  to  bring  them  Bibles."  It  was  even  so.  A 
work  of  grace  had  commenced  among  these  vile 
and  abandoned  sinners.  God  had  blessed  the 
word  to  their  conviction  ;  and  now,  as  the  mis- 
sionary came  to  instruct  and  comfort  them  in 
their  distress,  they  accosted  him  with  the  cry  that 


64  LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE. 

was  beard  in  the  prison  at  Philippi,  "  What  must 
I  do  to  be  saved  V3 

A  short  time  after  this,  as  Mr.  Bertram  was 
coming  out  of  the  door  of  a  stationer's  shop,  he 
perceived  two  seamen,  in  decent  apparel,  and  of 
orderly  conduct,  who  appeared  to  recognize  him, 
and  to  be  desirous  of  accosting  him.  Going  up 
to  them  pleasantly,  he  said,  "  Do  you  know  me, 
men  1  I  don't  recollect  to  have  seen  either  of  you 
before."  "  Oh  !  yes,"  they  replied,  "  we  know 
you  well.  We  belonged  to  your  congregation  in 
the  prison,  and  are  glad  that  we  ever  heard  you." 
*'  But,"  as  one  of  them  looked  at  the  other,  he 
said,  "  I  could  not  have  believed  that  such  a  hard 
heart  as  mine  would  ever  have  been  softened." 
"  Nor  I  mine,  either,"  responded  the  other.  "  I 
think,"  they  continued,  "  that  we  were  all  soft- 
ened. As  for  us,  ever  since  we  heard  you  pi  each, 
we  have  been  determined  to  lead  new  lives,  and 
try  to  save  our  souls  and  serve  God.  We  have 
been  discharged  from  prison,  and  have  shipped  on 
board  that  vessel  that  you  see  out  there  in  the 
bay.  We  leave  this  afternoon,  and  would  be  glad 
if  you  could  give  us  some  religious  tracts  to  read 
on  the  voyage."  He  took  them  to  his  lodgings, 
and  gave  them  instruction  in  the  way  of  life,  with 
some  suitable  advice  for  their  conduct  at  sea.  Ho 
selected  for  them  several  tracts,  and,  bidding  them 
farewell,  he  charged  them  to  cleave  with  full  pur- 


LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE.  65 

pose  of  heart  to  the  Lord,  and  acknowledge  Him 
in  all  their  ways. 

Another  incident  may  he  related,  in  this  con- 
nection, bearing  upon  Mr.  Bertram's  usefulness 
in  these  prison  ministrations.  Among  the  poor 
creatures  under  arrest  for  crime,  and  confined  in 
the  jail,  was  a  poor  Hottentot,  charged  with  mur- 
der. Having  observed,  in  his  visits  to  the  prison, 
an  appearance  of  deep  anxiety  and  distress  in  the 
countenance  of  the  criminal,  he  learned  from  the 
turnkey  the  nature  of  the  accusation  with  which 
he  was  charged.  But  as  he  was  unable  to  ad- 
dress him  in  the  Dutch-Totty  dialect,  in  use  by 
these  creatures,  he  called  upon  the  Rev.  George 
Morgan,  who  kindly  consented  to  act  as  inter- 
preter, and  accompanied  him  to  the  prison.  By 
the  inquiries  of  Mr.  Morgan,  as  well  as  his  own 
through  Mr.  Morgan,  he  learned  that  the  poor 
Hottentot  could  give.no  account  of  the  matter 
with  which  he  was  charged ;  that,  at  the  time  when 
the  man  was  killed,  a  mistake  had  been  made  in 
dealing  out  on  the  farm  the  spirit-rations,  brandy 
having  been  substituted  for  the  usual  rations  of 
Cape  wine  ;  and  that,  in  consequence,  the  two 
men  had  become  deeply  intoxicated  ;  that  in  this 
state  they  had  first  wrestled,  and  then  quarreled  ; 
and  the  Hottentot,  being  at  first  brought  down 
by  his  antagonist,  had  recovered  his  footing,  and 
catching  up  a  piece  of  a  plowshare,  had  in  turn 


66  LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE. 

prostrated  with  it  the  man,  who  thereby  had  lost 
his  life. 

On  the  trial,  it  was  fully  proved  that  the  Hot- 
tentot had  killed  his  companion  with  the  danger- 
ous instrument,  and  no  defense  was  made.  As 
it  was  about  to  go  to  the  jury,  and  the  attorney- 
general  had  risen  to  sum  up  the  case  on  the  part 
of  the  government,  Mr.  Bertram,  who  had  been 
anxious  to  communicate  what  he  knew,  sought  an 
opportunity  of  getting  the  ear  of  the  distinguished 
attorney ;  who  thereupon  called  the  attention  of  the 
court  to  the  fact  that  a  reverend  gentleman  was 
present  who  had  visited  the  prisoner  officially, 
and  who  could  present  some  mitigating  considera- 
tions, which  he  briefly  related.  His  Honor,  the 
judge,  immediately  observed,  that  if  it  could  be 
proved  that  the  man  had  thus  been  surprised  into 
a  state  of  intoxication,  it  would  take  away  all  evi- 
dence of  a  murderous  intention.  Inquiry  was 
then 'made,  whether  there  was  any  one  present 
who  could  testify  to  the  facts  respecting  the  liquor. 
A  stranger  rose  in  the  court-room,  and  declared 
that  he  was  ready  to  testify.  After  his  exam- 
ination, the  case  went  to  the  jury,  who  returned  a 
verdict  of  manslaughter ^  and  the  man  was  sen- 
tenced to  three  years1  hard  labor  on  the  roads.  As 
the  court  adjourned,  Mr.  Bertram  was  universally 
congratulated  by  several  distinguished  citizens,  as 
having  had  the  happiness  of  saving  the  life  of  the 


LIFE    AT    THE    CAPE.  67 

•poor  Hottentot,  who,  but  for  him,  would  have  been 
found  guilty  of  murder,  and  executed. 

In  the  midst  of  such  useful  services  to  human- 
ity, and  in  the  prosecution  of  his  spiritual  labors 
among  the  sailors,  the  sick,  and  the  prisoners,  Mr. 
Bertram's  time  glided  pleasantly  along.  He  saw 
the  fruit  of  his  services,  thanked  God,  and  took 
courage. 


CHAPTER  III. 

LABORS     AT     SALDANHA     BAY. 

A  new  and  remarkable  scene,  in  the  history  of 
Mr.  Bertram,  now  opens  before  us.  While  pur- 
suing his  self-denying  and  useful  exertions  at  the 
Cape,  he  resolved  to  make  an  excursion  some  sixty 
miles  to  the  north.  A  large  number  of  vessels 
had  called  at  Table  Bay,  and  procured  permission 
of  the  government  to  proceed  to  Saldanha  Bay, 
and  take  in  a  cargo  of  guano.  In  addition  to 
their  crews,  each  vessel  also  shipped  some  ten  or 
twelve  coolies,  or  Malays,  to  serve  them  in  getting 
in  their  cargoes.  The  business  held  out  a  pros- 
pect of  large  pecuniary  returns,  and  was,  of  course, 
much  talked  of  in  the  commercial  circles  at  Cape 
Town.  It  was  ascertained  that  from  one  hund- 
red and  fifty  to  two  hundred  vessels,  some  of  them 
of  one  thousand  tons  burden,  were  anchored  in 
Saldanha  Bay,  and  that  a  population,  most  het- 
erogeneous, of  nearly  or  quite  two  thousand  souls, 
were  congregated  in  the  bay. 

The  hearts  of  God'a  people  at  the  Cape  were 
moved,  at  the  thought  of  the  heathenish  condition 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  69 

in  which  this  large  number  of  souls  were  living  for 
weeks  and  months,  without  the  ordinances  of  re- 
ligion, with  no  one  to  give  them  spiritual  consola- 
tions in  sickness,  none  to  point  the  dying  to  the 
Lamb  of  God,  and  none  to  perform  the  services  of 
religion  at  the  burial  of  the  dead.  Mr.  Bertram 
was  so  much  affected  by  these  considerations,  as 
to  determine  to  go  down,  if  possible,  to  Saldanha 
Bay  for  a  short  time,  and  do  something  for  the 
souls  of  this  neglected  and  destitute  population. 
On  making  known  his  intentions  to  his  friends  at 
the  Cape,  he  was  encouraged  to  proceed.  The 
Rev.  John  C.  Brown,  of  Union  Chapel,  in  partic- 
ular, took  a  very  deep  interest  in  the  matter.  As 
soon  as  he  heard  of  it,  he  came  to  Mr.  Bertram, 
and  said,  "  Go,  my  brother,  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  ;  and  may  Jacob's  God  go  with  you."  He 
furnished  him  also  with  the  means  of  purchasing 
an  overcoat,  for  protection  from  the  storms  to 
which  he  might  be  exposed,  in  a  place  where  there 
were  none  but  canvas  tenements  to  shelter  him. 
His  kindness  in  this  particular,  as  in  many  oth- 
ers, is,  and  ever  will  be,  held  in  grateful  remem- 
brance. 

The  ship  "Ward  Chipman,"  of  St.  John's, 
New  Brunswick,  commanded  by  Captain  Aymers, 
a  Scotchman,  was  then  lying  in  Table  Bay,  ex- 
pecting to  sail  in  a  few  days  for  Saldanha.  Mr. 
Bertram  sought  him  out,  and  made  known  to  him 


70  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

his  desire  to  procure  a  passage  on  board  his  ship. 
The  captain  was  a  man  of  a  large  heart,  and  very 
readily  offered  the  missionary  a  passage,  and  the 
attentions  of  the  steward  of  the  ship,  during  all 
his  continuance  at  Saldanha  Bay,  without  any  com- 
pensation. The  necessary  arrangements  having 
been  made  on  shore,  Mr.  Bertram  bade  farewell  to 
his  family  and  friends,  and  embarked  on  board  the 
"Ward  Chipman,"  on  a  Wednesday  evening,  in 
the  latter  part  of  April,  1845. 

Saldanha  Bay  is  a  "  magnificent  haven"  on  the 
southwest  coast  of  Africa,  about  sixty  miles  north 
of  Table  Bay,  in  lat.  32°  54'  south.  It  was  dis- 
covered by  the  Portuguese,  not  long  after  the  dis- 
covery, in  1487,  of  the  "  Capo  de  Boa  Esperance," 
or  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  called  "  Saldanha," 
after  a  town  of  that  name,  in  the  northwest  of 
Spain,  in  the  province  of  Leon,  probably  the  birth- 
place of  some  of  the  discoverers. 

It  was  first  visited,  so  far  as  we  can  now  learn, 
in  the  summer  of  1620,  a  few  months  before  the 
landing  of  the  Pilgrims  on  the  shores  of  New  En- 
gland. Two  East  India  merchantmen,  on  their 
outward  voyage,  put  in  at  this  bay,  and  their 
commanders,  Fitzherbert  and  Shillinge,  issued  a 
proclamation,  dated  "  Bay  of  Saldanha,  3d  July, 
1620,"  in  which  tlioy  claimed  the  territory  for 
King  James  I.  No  attempts  were  made,  either 
then  or  subsequently,  to  colonize  the  country  by 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  71 

the  subjects  of  the  King  of  Great  Britain.  In  the 
journals  of  Dr.  Van  Riebeck,  the  first  Dutch 
Governor  of  the  Cape  Colony,  frequent  mention 
is  made  of  the  natives  that  came  from  Saldanha 
Bay.  One  of  the  vessels  belonging  to  the  Dutch, 
called  the  "  Good  Hope,"  was  employed  in  1652 
in  exploring  expeditions  to  Saldanha  Bay,  and  in 
bringing  thence,  for  the  use  of  the  colonists,  sup- 
plies of  penguins  and  sea-birds'  eggs,  which  were 
there  found  in  great  abundance. 

John  Baptist  Tavernier,  of  Paris,  on  his  return 
from  the  East  Indies,  in  1649,  passed  a  few  days 
among  the  natives  at  the  Cape,  where  the  ship  ob- 
tained a  great  supply  of  birds'  eggs,  "  as  big  as 
goose  eggs."  He  represents  these  birds  as  a  sort 
of  goose,  and  says,  "  They  breed  in  such  great 
quantities  in  the  country,  that  in  a  bay,  about 
eighteen  leagues  from  the  Cape,  you  may  knock 
them  on  the  head  with  a  stick."  Commodore 
Roggewein,  who  visited  this  region  in  1733,  says, 
that  "  at  the  distance  of  about  eighteen  leagues 
from  the  Cape,  there  is  another  port,  called  the 
Bay  of  Saldeney,  which  is,  in  all  respects,  an  in- 
finitely better  harbor  than  that  of  the  Cape,  ex- 
cept one,  and  that  is,  in  point  of  water."  The 
distance  accords  with  the  description  of  Taver- 
nier, and  shows  that  the  latter  had  reference  to 
this  bay,  when  he  spoke  of  it  as  the  resort  of  in- 
numerable birds.      In  the  journal  of  Governor 


72  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

Zacharias  Wagenaar,  the  successor  of  Van  Rie- 
beck  at  the  Cape,  appears  the  following  memo- 
randum, under  date  of  February  17, 1666  :  "  Sent 
the  '  Crowned  Herring'  to  Saldanha  Bay,  to  fetch 
a  load  of  sea-birds'  dung  for  our  gardens." 

The  colony  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  was  sur- 
rendered to  the  forces  of  Great  Britain,  under  the 
command  of  General  Craig,  September  16th,  1795. 
But  the  Dutch,  not  willing  to  relinquish  a  naval 
post  of  so  much  importance,  of  which  they  had  re- 
tained possession  since  1652,  fitted  out  an  expe- 
dition, under  Admiral  Lucas,  consisting  of  two 
sixty-fours,  one  fifty-four,  four  frigates,  and  a 
sloop,  which  arrived  safely,  and  cast  anchor  in 
Saldanha  Bay,  August  2d,  1796.  While  they 
were  refitting  the  vessels,  and  refreshing  the  crews 
and  marines  after  their  long  voyage,  a  British 
fleet,  under  the  command  of  Admiral  Elphinstone, 
consisting  of  two  seventy-fours,  five  sixty-fours, 
one  fifty,  and  six  other  vessels  came  to  anchor 
within  gun-shot  of  the  Dutch  fleet ;  and,  knowing 
how  much  superior  his  own  force  was  to  that  of 
the  blockaded  squadron,  the  British  admiral  sent 
a  written  summons  for  the  surrender  of  Admiral 
Lucas's  command.  Reasonable  terms  of  capitu- 
lation having  been  submitted,  the  latter  surren- 
dered his  whole  fleet  without  the  firing  of  a  gun. 
The  bay  has  thus  acquired  a  considerable  histor- 
ical importance. 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  73 

But  a  few  years  since  it  acquired  a  still  great- 
er, and  far  more  substantial,  importance,  by  rea- 
son of  the  guano  traffic,  to  which  allusion  has  al- 
ready been  made.  The  fertilizing  properties  of 
the  excrements  of  birds  seem  to  have  been  known 
by  the  second  governor  of  the  Cape,  nearly  two 
hundred  years  since.  But  it  is  only  within  these 
twelve  or  fifteen  years  that  scientific  agriculture 
has  brought  fully  to  light  the  valuable  qualities 
of  these  ammonial  deposits,  and  created  a  de- 
mand for  the  article.  During  a  long  succession 
of  ages,  a  considerable  number  of  the  rocky  and 
uninhabited  islands  on  the  coasts  of  Africa  and 
South  America,  particularly  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  two  capes,  at  the  southern  extremities  of 
the  two  continents,  and  along  the  shores  of  Peru 
and  Bolivia,  have  been  the  resort  of  immense 
numbers  of  the  singular  water-fowl,  known  as 
the  penguin,  or  pinguin,  and  others  of  like  habits. 

Ferdinand  Magellan,  who  sailed  along  the  At- 
lantic coast  of  Patagonia  in  1519,  "met  with  a 
couple  of  islands  so  full  of  seals  and  penguins, 
that,  in  an  hour's  space,  they  could  have  laden  all 
the  five  ships."  He  describes  them  as  "  a  black, 
unwieldy  fowl,  extremely  fat,  covered  over  with  a 
sort  of  down,  instead  of  feathers,  and  armed  with 
a  bill  like  a  raven's."  These  islands  have  since 
been  known  as  "  the  Great  and  Little  Penguins." 
They  were  visited  also  by  the  Dutch  commander 


74  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAT. 

De  Weert,  in  1599,  who  says,  that  such  was  the 
multitude  of  penguins,  "  they  might  have  fur- 
nished twenty-five  ships  with  them  ;"  and  that 
"  they  took  above  nine  hundred  in  two  hours' 
time."  He  gives  a  minute  description  of  them, 
and  says,  that,  when  full  grown,  they  weigh  from 
twelve  to  sixteen  pounds  ;  that  they  are  black 
upon  the  back,  and  white  on  the  under  parts,  hav- 
ing also  a  white  ring  around  the  neck,  having  a 
skin  like  a  sea-dog's,  and  as  thick  as  the  skin  of 
a  wild  boar  ;  that  their  bill  is  as  long  as  a  raven's, 
but  not  as  crooked  ;  that  their  necks  are  short 
and  thick,  and  their  body  as  long  as  a  goose's,  but 
not  so  big.  He  says  that,  instead  of  wings,  they 
have  two  fins  hanging  down,  and  covered  with 
feathers,  with  which  they  swim  with  great  ease. 

Laval,  on  his  voyage  to  the  East  Indies,  in 
1601,  landed  at  Annabon,  an  island  about  one 
hundred  miles  south  of  the  line,  in  the  Atlantic, 
and  discovered  in  the  neighborhood  a  small  rocky 
island,  bare  of  vegetation,  but  so  covered  with 
penguins,  that  no  one  could  walk  anywhere  with- 
out treading  upon  their  eggs.  Commodore  Beau- 
lieu,  who  visited  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  in  1620, 
describes  an  island  about  two  leagues  north  of 
Table  Bay,  a  large  league  in  circumference,  on 
which  great  numbers  of  penguins  were  found. 
Captain  Funnel,  in  1706,  calls  it,  "  Penguin  Isl- 
and," and  says,  that  it  takes  its  name  from  a  vast 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  75 

number  of  birds,  about  the  bigness  of  a  wild  duck, 
with  a  sharp  bill,  and  feet  like  a  duck,  having  no 
wings,  but  stumps  only,  with  which  they  fly  not, 
but  flutter,  called  penguins.  \ 

The  name  is  by  some  supposed  to  have  been 
derived  from  the  Latin  word  pinguis,  fat.  Oth- 
ers derive  the  word  from  a  term  in  the  old  British 
language,  signif}'ing  whiteness,  because  of  their 
white  heads.  But  Dr.  Harris,  in  his  Bibliotheca 
of  Travels,  affirms,  that  the  name  was  given  them 
by  the  aborigines. 

The  congregation  of  these  birds,  for  ages,  in 
countless  generations  and  immense  numbers,  on 
some  isolated  rock,  undisturbed  by  human  vis- 
itants, has  resulted  in  the  vast  deposits  of  the  fer- 
tilizing substance,  to  which  the  name  guano  has 
been  affixed,  and  which,  at  the  time  of  Mr.  Ber- 
tram's visit,  was  found  in  such  quantity  at  Sal- 
danha  Bay.  The  name  is  of  Peruvian  origin.  In 
that  tongue,  haano,  pronounced  by  the  Spaniards 
guano,  means  dung.  The  Peruvians  have  long 
been  acquainted  with  the  agricultural  virtue  of 
this  substance.  Vast  stores  of  this  bird's  dung 
have  been  found  for  ages  on  the  Chincha  Islands, 
near  the  fourteenth  parallel  of  south  latitude, 
three  rocky  protuberances  from  the  sea,  of  five  or 
six  miles'  circuit,  and  about  ten  miles  from  the 
main  land.  Here  it  was  found,  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  traffic,  in  a  perfect  state  of  preserva- 


76  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

tion,  by  reason  of  the  infrequency  of  rains  on  that 
coast,  and  of  the  average  depth  of  one  hundred 
feet,  in  some  places  two  hundred.  Humboldt,  in 
1804,  called  attention  to  this  deposit,  and  re- 
ferred to  its  enriching  qualities.  The  great  gu- 
ano port  of  Peru  is  Iquique.  The  Peruvians  have 
a  proverb,  "  Huano,  though  no  saint,  works  mira- 
cles ;"  referring  to  the  wonderfully- fertilizing  pow- 
er of  this  article. 

At  the  commencement  of  this  trade,  the  prin- 
cipal source  of  traffic  on  the  coast  of  Africa  was 
a  small  island,  called  Icheboe,  farther  to  the 
north,  in  the  twenty-sixth  degree  of  south  lati- 
tude ;  but  the  demand  soon  exhausted  the  sup- 
ply, and  the  attention  of  the  trade  was  now  di- 
rected to  the  spot  whither  Mr.  Bertram  was  bound. 

The  "  Ward  Chipman"  proceeded  on  her  way, 
and  arrived  off  the  bay  about  ten  o'clock  in  the 
evening  of  Thursday.  The  night  was  dark,  and 
the  captain,  not  being  acquainted  with  the  chan- 
nel, attempted  to  enter  on  the  wrong  side  of  the 
island,  that  divides  the  mouth  into  two  nearly 
equal  parts.  Presently  the  breakers  were  seen 
within  a  few  yards,  and  the  position  of  the  ship 
became  quite  perilous.  The  main  anchor  was 
speedily  dropped,  and  the  vessel  stayed.  As  soon 
as  it  was  known  in  the  harbor,  six  and  twenty 
boats  were  manned  by  the  shipmasters  and  their 
men,  by  whose  timely  and  powerful  aid,  the  vessel 


LABORS    AT    SALDANIIA    BAY.  77 

was  towed,  with  the  loss  of  her  anchor,  and  with 
no  further  injury,  to  a  safe  and  quiet  anchorage 
within  the  land-locked  harbor. 

The  morning  light  revealed  the  hidden  dan- 
gers of  the  previous  evening,  and  the  peculiar- 
ities of  the  scenery  in  the  midst  of  which  they 
had  reposed  during  the  night.  The  dark  olive- 
tint  of  the  water,  approaching  almost  to  black,  in- 
dicated, to  some  extent,  the  character  of  the  traf- 
fic which  was  prosecuted  on  its  surface.  A  more 
beautiful  and  safe  haven  for  ships,  they  had  sel- 
dom, if  ever,  seen.  It  seemed  to  be  of  several 
leagues  in  circumference,  capable  of  containing  the 
whole  navy  of  Great  Britain,  and  almost  entirely 
shut  in  by  the  land,  which  rose  on  nearly  every 
hand  in  gentle  swells,  and  verdant  plains,  and 
was  covered  with  a  prolific  vegetation.  Imme- 
diately in  front,  toward  the  sea,  and  occupying  a 
large  portion  of  the  strait,  by  which  the  bay  was 
entered,  appeared  a  small  island,  of  singular  as- 
pect, called  Maleasen,  Malagasen,  or,  more  com- 
monly, "  Malagas  Island."  The  bay  was  dotted 
in  every  direction  with  merchant-vessels  of  all  de- 
scriptions, and  hundreds  of  yawls,  barges,  and 
freight-boats  were  attached  to  the  ships,  or  mov- 
ing quietly  over  the  smooth  surface  of  the  bay. 

In  the  center  of  the  island  was  a  flag-staff,  from 
which  lines  extended  in  every  direction  to  the  wa- 
ter's edge.     On  nearer  inspection,  it  was  found 


78  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

that  the  soil  -with  which  the  island  was  covered, 
was  a  vast  bed  of  guano,  some  twenty  or  thirty 
feet  in  depth,  that  had  been  accumulating  for 
ages,  and  which  was  now  in  the  process  of  ex- 
portation to  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe.  The 
lines  from  the  flag-staff  were  designed  to  mark  out, 
like  the  divisions  of  a  plum-cake,  to  the  crew  of 
each  vessel,  the  particular  portion  which  they 
might  claim  as  their  own.  At  the  water's  edge 
was  a  jetty,  or  wharf,  near  which  were  seen  scaf- 
foldings, designed  to  facilitate  the  transportation 
of  the  various  "  diggings"  to  the  boats  ;  while  all 
over  the  island  the  canvas  huts  and  tents  of  the 
workmen,  formed  of  sails  and  tarpaulins,  thrown 
over  spars  and  yards  from  the  vessels,  gave  evi- 
dence of  a  numerous  population.  Gay  banners 
and  streamers  were  floating  over  these  nautical 
encampments,  inscribed  with  some  fanciful  appel- 
lation, indicating  the  vessel  or  country  to  which 
the  occupants  belonged,  or  showing  some  of  the 
eccentricities  of  seamen ;  such  as  "  Sheerncss," 
"  Wapping,"  "  London  Docks,"  etc. 

The  spectator  was  at  once  reminded  of  the  re- 
semblance of  the  whole  scene  to  a  country  fair, 
such,  particularly,  as  are  held  every  August  at 
"  Donnybrook,"  in  the  county  of  Dublin,  where 
for  six  days  the  usquebaugh  circulates  most  free- 
ly, and  the  shillalah  flourishes  in  the  air,  giving 
weight  and  force  to  the  brilliant  points  of  Irish 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  79 

wit  and  argument.  That  Scripture,  whicn  says, 
*'  Wheresoever  the  carcass  is,  there  will  the  eagles 
be  gathered  together,"  was  strikingly  fulfilled  at 
Malagas  Island.  The  opportunity  of  trading  with 
such  an  assemblage,  as  were  there  congregated  for 
weeks,  could  not  be  resisted  by  the  suttlers  and 
grog-sellers  at  the  Cape,  who  had  flocked  hither 
to  share  in  the  golden  harvest,  and  pitched  their 
tents  along  the  shores  of  the  bay.  They  found  a 
ready  market  for  their  vile  compounds  of  wine, 
rum,  brandy,  and  other  death-dealing  liquors  ;  and 
frequent,  as  well  as  violent,  were  the  scenes  of 
riot  and  blood-letting,  with  which  this  woeful  traf- 
fic was  followed.  The  poor  sea-fowl,  whose  do- 
main had  thus  summarily  and  unceremoniously 
been  invaded,  had  fled  to  other  rocky  points  in 
and  along  the  bay,  where  they  seemed  to  be  taking 
counsel  as  to  the  best  means  of  regaining  their 
time-honored  territory. 

Such  was  the  spectacle  that  presented  itself  to 
the  eye  of  Mr.  Bertram,  on  the  morning  after  his 
arrival.  After  breakfast,  he  was  put  ashore  on 
the  main  land,  in  the  vicinity  of  a  large  cave 
formed  by  overhanging  rocks.  This  natural  hab- 
itation had  been  appropriated  by  an  old  Hiber- 
nian, of  the  sons  of  iEsculapius,  a  stout,  over- 
grown, and  somewhat  venerable  personage,  who 
had  converted  the  interior  of  his  primitive  hab- 
itation into  a  rude  resemblance  of  an  apothecary's 


80  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

shop,  with  mysterious-looking  bottles  and  vials 
ranged  around,  in  number  sufficient  to  kill  or  cure 
all  who  might  wish  to  avail  themselves  of  his  won- 
drous pharmaceutic  lore,  and  unrivaled  skill  in 
the  treatment  of  all  the  ills  to  which  the  fle^h  of 
man  is  subject.  There,  ensconced  in  his  myste- 
rious habitation,  that  served  him  as  office,  parlor, 
ante-chamber,  dormitory,  and  kitchen,  he  sagely 
gave  out,  that  he  would  undertake  the  wholesale 
cure  of  broken  bones  and  bleeding  wounds,  for  the 
moderate  sum  of  five  pounds  a  ship.  Nor  was  he 
unemployed.  The  disorderly  and  dissipated  man- 
ner in  which  a  large  portion  of  the  sailors  and  la- 
borers lived  ;  the  exposures  to  which  they  were 
constantly  subjected ;  the  large  potations  of  in- 
toxicating liquors  with  which  they  were  furnished  ; 
the  want  of  vegetable  food;  the  constant  use  of 
salt  provisions,  and  the  overpowering  ellluvium  of 
the  guano  itself,  producing,  by  reason  of  the  vast 
quantities  of  ammonia,  inflammation  and  bleeding 
of  the  eyes  and  nostrils,  served  to  bring  into  con- 
stant service  the  skill  and  the  drugs  of  the  old 
Irish  doctor,  and  to  test  his  power  over  such  ob- 
stinate diseases  as  the  dysentery,  scurvy,  and 
"  redness  of  eyes." 

At  the  time  of  Mr.  Bertram's  landing,  a  con- 
siderable number  of  the  shipmasters  were  assem- 
bled about  the  "doctor's  sliop,M  apparently  in 
earnest  and  anxious  consultation.     On  inquiry,  ho 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  8l 

learned  enough  to  show  him  the  hazardous  nature 
of  the  mission,  with  which  he  had  charged  him- 
self in  coming  to  Saldanha  Bay.  The  islanders, 
it  appeared,  were  in  a  terrible  state  of  insubordi- 
nation and  mutiny.  The  sailors,  under  the  influ- 
ence of  frequent  draughts  of  alcoholic  compounds, 
had  quarreled  with  the  sable  coolies  from  the 
Cape,  and,  in  the  terrible  excitement  of  rage  and 
intoxication,  had  belabored  them  with  furious 
blows,  and  then  driven  them  into  the  sea,  where 
they  would  have  been  drowned  but  for  the  lug- 
gage-boats employed  in  transferring  the  guano  to 
the  ships,  into  which  they  were  drawn  out  of  the 
sea  by  the  shipmasters,  who  had  Avitnesscd  the 
mutiny.  All  business  was  in  consequence  sus- 
pended, and  the  most  terrible  scenes  of  drunken- 
ness and  insubordination  ensued.  In  vain  were 
all  the  efforts  of  the  masters  of  the  vessels  to 
bring  them  into,  subjection.  They  were  met  with 
volleys  of  guano,  assailed  with  the  carcasses  of 
penguins  and  gannets,  and  compelled  to  flee  for 
their  lives,  and  betake  themselves  to  their  boats. 
A  second  attempt  to  subdue  the  rioters  by  means 
of  cutlasses  and  fire-arms,  resulted  in  complete 
failure,  only  serving  the  more  to  exasperate  both 
parties. 

The  shipmasters  were  now  at  their  wit's  ends. 
It  was  determined  to  hold  a  conference  on  shore, 
and  consult  on  the  best  means  of  quelling  the  re- 


82  LABORS    AT    SALDANttA    BAY. 

volt.      Something  effectual  was    demanded,  and 

that   speedily,  or  they  could  not  answer  to  the 

owners  of  the  vessels  for  their  failure  in  securing  a 

cargo,  and  subjecting  them  to  severe  loss.     As  for 

unfurling  their   sails,  and  putting  out  to  sea  as 

they  were,  it  was  out  of  the  question.     At  length 

it  was  determined  to  dispatch,  over  land,  four  of 

the  most  respectable  shipmasters,  to  Cape  Town, 

and  solicit  his  excellency,  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland, 

the  governor  of  the  colony,  to  send  them  a  ship  of 

war,  to  bring  the  mutineers  to  their  senses  and 
duty. 

The  land-route  was  circuitous,  and  much  lon- 
ger than  by  sea.  Three  or  four  days  were  occu- 
pied in  the  journey,  assistance  being  afforded  them 
by  the  Dutch  farmers  who  occupied  the  interior. 
Several  days,  therefore,  elapsed  before  any  infor- 
mation or  assistance  could  be  procured  from  the 
Cape,  during  all  which  time  the  state  of  insubor- 
dination continued. 

Mr.  Bertram,  being  thus  shut  out  from  the 
great  body  of  the  seamen,  whose  spiritual  welfare 
had  brought  him  to  Saldanha  Bay,  endeavored  to 
employ  his  time  with  as  much  profit  as  the  cir- 
cumstances would  permit.  As  the  Sabbath  was 
at  hand,  he  desired  to  secure  an  opportunity  for 
preaching.  Learning  that  Captain  Samson,  of 
the  ship  kt  John  Jordan,"  from  Bristol,  was  a  re- 
ligious man,  he  made  an  arrangement  with  him  to 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  83 

convert  his  ship  into  a  Bethel.  Quite  a  goodly 
number  of  the  officers,  and  many  of  the  seamen 
who  were  not  compromised  in  the  mutiny,  assem- 
bled on  the  "  John  Jordan,"  at  the  appointed  time, 
to  whom  he  opened  the  treasures  of  God's  word, 
and  made  known  his  commission  as  an  ambassador 
of  the  Prince  of  Peace.  At  the  pressing  invita- 
tion of  Captain  Samson,  whom  he  found  to  be  in 
reality  a  man  of  God,  he  removed  from  the  "  Ward 
Chipman,"  and  took  up  his  quarters  on  the  "  John 
Jordan."  The  captain  gave  up  to  him  his  own 
cabin,  and  showed  him  every  attention  and  kind- 
ness in  his  power,  during  the  whole  time  of  his  so- 
journ at  Saldanha  Bay. 

The  delay,  occasioned  by  the  non-arrival  of  the 
aid  expected  from  the  Cape,  gave  Mr.  Bertram 
frequent  opportunities  for  exploring  the  shores  of 
the  bay.  His  early  occupation  had  served  to  make 
him  familiar  with  the  vegetable  creation.  A  pas- 
sion for  flowers  had  grown  with  his  growth,  and 
strengthened  with  his  strength ;  and  here,  on  this 
virgin  soil,  he  found  abundant  means  of  gratifying 
it.  Every  day,  after  breakfast,  the  Jordan's  boat 
was  at  his  service,  and  he  was  put  on  the  shore,  to 
ramble  off  into  "  the  bush,"  and  meditate  in  the 
fields.  Hour  after  hour  he  would  ramble  on  for 
miles  together,  without  the  slightest  interruption 
from  any  human  being,  and  without  any  earthly 
witnesses  of  his  footsteps,  save  an  occasional  mon * 


84  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY'., 

key  sporting  on  the  rocks,  and  numerous  birds,  of 
most  beautiful  plumage.  Nothing  can  exceed  the 
splendor  of  the  coloring — blue,  green,  yellow,  scar- 
let, and  crimson,  alternating  with  the  purest  black 
and  white — with  which  the  feathered  tribes  are 
here  adorned.  To  a  lover  of  nature  they  present, 
with  their  infinite  variety  of  song,  a  constant 
source  of  admiration. 

Nor  are  the  beauties  of  the  vegetable  world  in 
Southern  Africa  less  inviting  and  peculiar.     "  At 
every  step  we  take,"  says  Sir  Cornwallis  Harris, 
"  what  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  gay 
flowers  rear  their  lovely  heads  around  us  !     Of  a 
surety,  the   enthusiasm  of  the   botanist  has  not 
painted  the  wonders  of  these  regions   in   colors 
more  brilliant  than  they  deserve  ;  for  Africa  is  the 
mother  of  the  most  magnificent  exotics  that  grace 
the  green-houses  of  Europe.     Turn  where  we  will, 
some  new  plant  discovers  itself  to  the  admiring 
gaze  ;    and    every   barren    rock    being   decorated 
with  some  large  and  strong  blossom,  it  can  be  no 
exaggeration  to  compare  the  country  to  a  botan- 
ical garden  left  in  a  state  of  nature.     The  regal 
protea  (silver  tree)  here  blossoms  spontaneously 
on  every  side;  the  buzzing  hosts  of  bees,  beetles, 
and  other  parasites,  by  which  its  choicest  sweets 
are   surrounded,  being   often  joined   by  the   tiny 
humming-bird,  herself  scarcely  larger  than  a  but- 
terfly, who  perches  on  tho  edge  of  a  broad  flow- 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  85 

er,  and  darts  her  tubular  tongue  into  the  chal- 
ce." 

"But  the  bulbous  plants,"  adds  the  same  au- 
thor, "  must  be  considered  to  form  the  most  char- 
acteristic class ;  and  in  no  region  of  the  globe  are 
they  to  be  found  so  numerous,  so  varied,  or  so 
beautiful.  To  the  brilliant  and  sweet-smelling 
ixia,  and  to  the  superb  species  of  the  iris  (flower 
de  luce),  there  is  no  end ;  the  morell,  the  corn- 
flag  (gladiolus),  the  amaryllis,  the  haemanthus, 
and  pancratium,  being  countless  as  the  sands  upon 
the  sea-shore.  After  the  autumnal  rains,  their 
gaudy  flowers,  mixed  with  those  of  the  brilliant 
orchidae,  impart  life  and  beauty,  for  a  brief  sea- 
son, to  the  most  sandy  wastes,  and,  covering  alike 
the  meadows  and  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  are 
succeeded  by  the  graphalium,  the  xeranthemum, 
and  a  whole  train  of  everlastings,  which  display 
their  red,  blue,  or  silky-white  flowers,  among  a 
host  of  scented  geraniums,  flourishing  like  so  many 
weeds.  Even  in  the  midst  of  stony  deserts  arise 
a  variety  of  aloes  and  other  fleshy  plants,  as,  the 
stapelia,  or  carion-flower,  with  square,  succulous, 
leafless  stems,  and  flowers  resembling  star-fish. 
The  brilliant  mesanbryanthemum,  or  fig-mari- 
gold, extends  to  nearly  three  hundred  species.  But 
amid  this  gay  and  motley  assemblage,  the  heaths, 
whether  in  number  or  beauty,  stand  confessedly 
unrivaled.      Nature  has    extended  that   elegant 

8 


86  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

shrub  to  almost  every  soil  and  situation — the 
marsh,  the  river-brink,  the  richest  loam,  and  the 
barest  rural  cliff,  being  alike 

*  Empurpled  with  the  heather's  dye.' 

Upward  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  distinct  spe- 
cies exist ;  nor  is  the  form  of  their  flowers  less  di- 
versified than  are  their  varied  hues.  Cup-shaped, 
globular,  and  bell-shaped ;  some  exhibit  the  figure 
of  a  cone;  others  that  of  a  cylinder;  some  are 
contracted  at  the  base,  others  in  the  middle;  and 
still  more  are  bulged  out  like  the  mouth  of  a  trum- 
pet. While  many  are  smooth  and  glossy,  some 
are  covered  with  down,  and  others,  again,  are  in- 
crusted  with  mucilage.  Red,  in  every  variety  of 
depth  and  shade,  from  blush  to  the  brightest  crim- 
son, is  their  prevailing  complexion  ;  but  green,  yel- 
low, and  purple  are  scarcely  less  abundant,  and 
blue  is  almost  the  only  color  whose  absence  can  be 
remarked." 

Such  arc  the  beauties  of  the  vegetable  creation 
in  the  southern  portion  of  that  mysterious  conti- 
nent, whose  vast  interior  yet  remains  to  be  ex- 
plored by  civilized  man,  and  to  the  richness  and 
gorgeousness  of  whose  productions  no  other  portion 
of  the  world  can  scarcely  afford  a  parallel. 

The  season  of  the  year  in  which  these  rural  walks 
of  Mr.  Bertram  were  prosecuted,  was  not  the  most 
favorable  for  the  development  of  all  these  floral 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  87 

beauties.  The  heats  of  summer  had  passed,  and 
the  period  of  vegetable  repose  was  drawing  on. 
The  April  of  that  hemisphere,  it  will  be  remem- 
bered, answers  to  our  October,  and  it  was  near  the 
close  of  the  month  when  he  arrived.  But  still  he 
saw  enough,  especially  in  the  endless  varieties  and 
quantities  of  the  bulbous  tribes,  to  give  him  some 
conception  of  what  the  scene  must  be  in  the  early- 
spring,  August  and  September.  There  he  found 
plants,  which  in  his  youth  he  had  cultivated  in 
the  green-house,  and  treated  as  precious  exotics, 
growing  wild,  and  in  the  greatest  abundance. 

It  was  not  his  fortune  to  come  in  sight  of  any 
of  the  mighty  beasts  of  prey  with  which  the  inte- 
rior abounds,  and  which  sometimes  show  them- 
selves on  the  coast.  Many  of  the  large  African 
bullocks,  brought  in  by  the  Dutch  boors,  or  farm- 
ers, were  slaughtered  on  the  shore  for  the  use  of 
the  ships,  by  the  butchers  who  had  been  attracted 
to  the  spot,  and  whose  tents  were  pitched  on  the 
main  land.  On  one  occasion,  as  Mr.  Bertram 
was  preparing  to  take  his  morning  walk,  one  of 
these  sons  of  slaughter  said  to  him,  "  I  would  ad- 
vise you  not  to  go  very  far  into  the  bushes  this 
morning,  as  the  lions  have  been  roaring  about  our 
tents  all  night.  We  have  killed  so  many  cattle 
that  they  have  been  drawn  here  by  the  scent  of 
blood."  With  some  hesitation,  and  in  the  exer- 
cise of  a  good  degree  of  cautiousness,  he  however 


88  LABORS    AT    SALfiANHA    BAY. 

concluded  to  go,  but  met  with  no  other  harm  than 
a  good  scaring  at  a  sudden  rustling  in  the  bushes, 
"which  proved  to  be  only  a  winged  lion,  or  some- 
thing else  that  takes  to  itself  wings,  and  flies 
away. 

The  vast  quantities  of  arable  land,  exceedingly 
fertile,  and  entirely  unoccupied,  capable  of  pro- 
ducing immense  crops  of  grains  and  other  vegeta- 
bles, arrested  his  attention,  and  turned  his  thoughts 
to  the  starving  millions  of  Europe,  and  especially 
of  Scotland  and  Ireland,  who  know  not  how  to  eke 
out  a  subsistence  from  day  to  day.  He  could  not 
but  think,  what  a  blessing  it  would  be  to  both 
hemispheres,  if  a  few  thousands  of  the  hardy  sons 
of  toil  would  emigrate  to  the  rich  and  unoccupied 
lands  of  Southern  Africa,  and  begin  to  develop 
the  immense  but  hidden  resources  of  that  luxuri- 
ant continent.  Millions,  who  at  home  have  not 
so  much  as  a  small  cabbage-garden,  might  there 
possess  their  broad  acres  of  meadow  and  of  grain, 
with  all  the  vegetable  products  that  are  desirable 
for  man's  comfort  on  earth.  Sometimes,  in  these 
rambles,  he  would  amuse  his  idle  hours  by  fancy- 
ing himself  a  planter.  "Here,"  he  would  say,  as 
his  eye  rested  on  a  spacious  level  rock,  surrounded 
by  beautiful  meadows — "  here  would  be  just  the 
spot  to  build  my  house  ;  here  I  would  have  my 
garden  ;  there  my  barns,  there  the  lawn,  and  here 
the  park.     What  a  magnificent  site  it  would  be  !" 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  89 

While  he  was  thus  amusing  himself  with  these 
daily  recreations,  and  airy  castles,  it  came  into  his 
mind  that  this  was  not  just  the  thing  that  brought 
him  to  Saldanha  Bay.  "  All  this,"  he  said  to 
himself,  "  is  very  fine ;  but  what  sort  of  a  mis- 
sionary am  1 1  When  I  was  at  home  in  Great 
Britain,  I  thought  that  I  could  go  and  preach 
Christ  even  to  the  cannibals.  Like  the  great 
Apostle  to  the  Gentiles,  I  could  say,  '  Neither 
count  I  my  life  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I  might 
finish  my  course  with  joy,  and  the  ministry  which 
I  have  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify  the 
Gospel  of  the  grace  of  God,'  even  among  the  most 
degraded  and  abandoned  of  the  heathen  world. 
But  now  that  I  have  come  in  sight  of  danger,  what 
a  cowardly  missionary  I  prove  to  be !  I  came  to 
this  bay  for  the  very  purpose  of  preaching  to  these 
seamen  on  Malagas  Island,  and  now  I  have  not 
courage  enough  to  show  my  face  among  them !" 
The  example  of  the  noble  John  Williams,  who  laid 
down  his  life  among  the  cannibals  of  the  South 
Sea  Islands,  came  to  his  mind  ;  and  he  thought  of 
other  holy  missionaries,  who  had  jeoparded  their 
lives  even  unto  death  in  carrying  the  Gospel  to  the 
perishing ;  and  he  was  mortified  and  humbled  at 
his  own  pusillanimity. 

Thus  brought,  as  it  were,  to  his  senses,  and  to 
a  proper  conception  of  the  nature  and  require- 
ments of  his  mission,  he  sought  a  retired  place 


90  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

among  the  rocks,  and  confessed,  with  a  broken 
heart,  to  his  Saviour,  the  unbelief  and  sinful  fear 
by  which  he  had  been  actuated,  sought  forgive- 
ness at  the  feet  of  his  Lord  and  Master,  and  sol- 
emnly vowed  before  God,  that,  life  and  health  per- 
mitting, he  would  go  on  the  following  Sabbath  to 
Malagas  Island,  and  preach,  even  if  he  should  die 
for  it,  to  the  mutineers. 

At  three  o'clock,  the  hour  when  the  Jordan's 
boat  came  daily  to  the  shore  to  take  him  on  board 
to  dine,  he  returned  to  the  ship.  At  the  dinner- 
table,  he  said  to  the  captain,  "  Captain  Sam- 
son !  I  wish  to  ask  a  favor  of  }-ou."  "  Very  well, 
what  is  it?"  "I  want  you  to  take  me  in  your 
boat  next  Sabbath  morning  to  the  island,  that  I 
may  preach  there." 

The  captain  was  taken  wholly  by  surprise. 
Suppressing  for  a  few  moments  his  amazement,  as 
he  stared  ai  Mr.  Bertram,  he  at  length  said, 
"  What,  sir !  are  you  mad  ?  You  do  n't  catch  me 
doing  so  foolish  a  thing  as  to  take  you  up  to  the 
island  among  those  men.  They  would  only  des- 
ecrate the  service,  and  perhaps  take  your  life." 

"  But  what  then?"  was  the  reply  of  Mr.  Ber- 
tram ;  "  will  you  leave  these  men  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  devil,  and  make  no  effort  for  their  im- 
provement !  What  is  to  make  them  better,  if  we 
refuse  to  carry  the  Gospel  among  thcni?"  "Well," 
responded  the  captain,  "  say  what  you  will,  I  '11 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  91 

never  take  you  up  to  the  island.''  The  captain 
was  evidently  nettled  for  once ;  but  it  was  only 
for  once.    The  matter  was  dropped  for  the  present. 

Just  then  a  ship  of  war  hove  in  sight,  which 
proved  to  be  one  of  Her  Majesty's  vessels  that  had 
been  lying  at  Simon's  Bay,  or  False  Bay,  as  it 
was  formerly  called,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  pe- 
ninsula, that  terminates  in  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
on  the  west  side  of  which  Cape  Town  is  built ; 
which  vessel  had  been  ordered  to  Saldanha  Bay  to 
quell  the  mutiny.  The  rioters  had  given  them- 
selves up  to  gluttony  and  drunkenness.  Day  after 
day  they  had  kept  up  their  horrid  frolic,  until  they 
had  exhausted  the  stores  on  the  island.  Then 
they  had  crossed  over  to  the  mainland,  and  pos- 
sessed themselves  of  the  contents  of  some  of  the 
suttlers'  shanties,  with  which  they  had  returned, 
and  recommenced  their  terrible  carousing. 

In  the  midst  of  their  bacchanalian  revel,  they 
were  brought  to  their  senses  by  the  presence  of 
an  armed  detachment  of  marines  from  the  ship  of 
war,  who  had  effected  a  landing  from  their  boats 
with  the  greatest  order  and  dispatch.  They  saw 
at  once  that  resistance  was  useless  ;  and,  when 
ordered  by  the  commander  of  the  frigate  to  ac- 
knowledge their  wickedness,  and  sue  for  mercy, 
or  he  would  open  his  ports  upon  them,  and  blow 
them  to  pieces,  they  begged,  in  the  most  abject 
manner,  that  he  would  let  them  off  this  time,  and 


92  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

promised  to  go    to  work  like   honest  men,  and 
never  again  be  guilty  of  such  'wicked  conduct. 

The  result  was  very  gratifying  to  the  officers 
of  the  man-of-war,  and  to  the  shipmasters.  Con- 
gratulations were  exchanged  from  one  to  another, 
and  the  commander  of  the  armed  vessel  received 
on  board  the  various  ships  with  every  testimonial 
of  gratitude.  He  assured  them  all,  that  the  re- 
bellion was  at  an  end  ;  that  the  rioters  were  com- 
pletely humbled,  had  manifested  the  greatest  sor- 
row for  their  disorderly  and  criminal  conduct,  and 
given  him  the  utmost  assurance,  that  they  would 
all  quietly  and  submissively  return  to  duty ;  that 
they  might  now  take  in  their  cargoes  with  all 
dispatch,  and  ere  long  heave  anchor,  unfurl  their 
sails,  and  bend  their  course  homeward. 

It  was  not  in  the  power  of  the  commander  to 
make  any  stay  in  the  harbor.  He  had  been  or- 
dered to  the  western  coast  of  Africa,  on  a  cruise, 
to  watch  the  slave  ships,  and  break  up  their  pi- 
ratical traffic.  He  could  not,  therefore,  remain 
in  port  any  longer,  after  he  had  fulfilled  his  com- 
mission in  coming  to  Malagas  Island.  His  ves- 
sel was  soon  again  under  way,  and,  with  a  favor- 
ing breeze,  pursuing  her  course  toward  the  north. 

But,  no  sooner  had  the  vessel  disappeared,  than, 
relieved  of  their  fears,  the  revelers  broke  over  all 
restraint,  and  returned  to  their  former  state  of 
insubordination.      They  became  more   and      oro 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  93 

infatuated  and  maddened ;  they  formed  parties 
among  themselves  according  to  the  port  or  ships 
to  -which  they  belonged ;  they  chose  ringleaders, 
calling  them  by  the  names  of  wild  beasts,  as  they 
really  seemed  to  be.  To  one  they  gave  the  name 
Lion ;  to  another,  the  name  Bear  ;  to  another, 
Tiger,  and  the  like.  All  hope  of  a  compromise 
was  entirely  taken  away,  and  the  shipmasters 
were  completely  at  their  wit's  end. 

Mr.  Bertram  had  watched  the  progress  of  the 
whole  affair  with  the  deepest  interest ;  and,  when 
he  saw  the  utter  failure  of  the  remedy  devised  by 
the  wrath  of  man,  he  assuredly  gathered,  that  the 
Lord  was  calling  him  to  put  in  practice  the  pur- 
pose that  he  had  formed,  and  fulfill  his  solemn 
vow  to  God.  He  therefore  renewed  his  applica- 
tion to  Captain  Samson,  on  the  morning  of  the 
following  Sabbath,  and  requested  him  to  accom- 
pany the  missionary  to  the  island,  in  his  boat ;  but 
the  captain  was  resolute.  He  would  not  be  a 
party  in  such  a  rash  expedition,  nor  would  he  risk 
the  life  of  his  friend  among  such  a  set  of  incarnate 
demons. 

Among  the  vessels  in  port  was  the  brig  Hebe, 
of  London,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Mosey. 
Mr.  Bertram  had  formed  an  acquaintance  with 
him  at  Cape  Town,  and  learned  from  him  that  he 
had  once  made  a  profession  of  religion,  and  had 
"run  well"  for  a  season;  but  that  on  these  long 


94  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

voyages  he  had  got  away  from  duty,  and,  falling 
into  temptation  at  foreign  ports,  had  suffered  him- 
self to  be  carried  along  with  the  tide  of  ungodli- 
ness, which  he  had  not  sufficient  grace  to  stem 
and  resist.  He  had,  in  consequence,  become  a 
wanderer  from  God,  and  a  grievous,  but  not  in- 
veterate, backslider.  He  had  manifested,  in  the 
apparent  sorrow  with  which  he  had  confessed  all 
this  to  Mr.  Bertram,  that  his  conscience  was  yet 
tender  ;  and  so  had  led  the  missionary  to  think, 
that  some  traces  of  grace  remained.  When  a 
soul  has  once  been  renewed  by  the  Spirit,  he  can 
never  again  be  as  other  men  are.  Let  him  wan- 
der ever  so  far,  he  will  still  have  some  clinging 
of  heart,  like  the  prodigal  son,  to  his  former  ex- 
perience, and  be  often  saying  to  himself,  "  Oh 
that  I  were  as  in  months  past,  as  in  the  days  when 
God  preserved  me,  when  His  candle  shined  upon 
my  head,  and  when  by  His  light  I  walked  through 
darkness  !"     He  will  now  and  then  be  saying — 

"  Where  is  the  blessedness  I  knew, 
When  first  I  saw  the  Lord  ? 
Where  is  the  soul-refreshing  view, 
Of  Jesus,  and  His  word  ? 

What  peaceful  hours  I  once  enjoy'd! 

How  sweet  their  memory  still ! 
But  they  have  left  an  aching  void, 

The  world  can  never  fill." 

Mr.  Bertram,  relying  on  this  knowledge  of  the 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  95 

case  of  his  backsliding  friend,  went  off  to  the 
Hebe,  and  found  the  captain  standing  on  deck  to 
receive  him.  "  Captain  Mosey !"  he  said,  "  I 
have  come  to  beg  a  favor  of  you  this  morning." 
"  What  can  I  do  for  you,  Mr.  Bertram?"  was  the 
reply  ;  "  you  know  that  I  '11  do  any  thing  and  every 
thing  that  I  can  for  you."  "  Yes,  I  know  it," 
said  Mr.  Bertram,  "and  so  I  have  come  to  ask 
you  to  take  me  up  in  your  boat  to  the  island,  that 
I  may  preach  the  Gospel  to  those  poor  rebels  there, 
this  morning." 

The  request  occasioned  quite  a  struggle  in  the 
breast  of  Captain  Mosey.  After  pacing  the  deck 
for  a  few  moments,  he  turned,  with  moistened 
eyes,  and  a  full  heart,  to  the  missionary,  and  said, 
"  You  know,  Mr.  Bertram,  that  I  dare  not  take 
you  up  to  the  island.  It  was  barely  with  my  life 
that  I  escaped  the  other  day.  But  come  over  to 
Captain  Kerr's  vessel  with  me,  and  we'll  talk  it 
over."  So  to  Captain  Kerr's  ship,  the  "  Fama," 
of  London,  they  went,  who,  as  soon  as  he  saw 
them  on  deck,  saluted  them  with  "  Good-morn- 
ing, gentlemen ;  what  has  brought  you  here  this 
morning!"  "  Why,"  said  Captain  Mosey,  "  here  's 
Mr.  Bertram  begging  me  to  take  him  in  my  boat 
up  to  the  island,  to  preach  to  those  seamen." 
"  What !"  exclaimed  Captain  Kerr,  "  preach  to 
those  seamen !  preach  to  those  devils  !  preach  to 
those   devils  /"      "  Yes,"   replied  Captain  Mo- 


96  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

sey,  "  and  I  think  that  he  will  not  rest  until  we 
take  him  up."  "  What,  to  those  devils  !  those 
infamous  scoundrels?"  responded  Captain  Kerr; 
"  they  ought  to  be  hung,  every  devil  of  them.  And 
are  you  going  to  take  him  up,  Captain  Mosey?" 
"  Why,"  said  Mosey,  "  if  you  will  go,  I  '11  make 
one  of  the  company."  "  But  you  know,  Mosey," 
replied  Kerr,  "  how  they  love  me  on  the  island, 
and  how  they  treated  me  the  last  time  that  I  was 
there  !  And  where,  if  we  go,  are  we  to  find  a 
couple  of  oarsmen?"  So,  stepping  to  the  hatch- 
way, he  shouted  the  name  of  one  of  the  sailors ; 
and  the  quick  response,  "  Aye,  aye,  sir,"  was 
presently  followed  by  his  appearance  on  deck. 
"  Come,  my  lad,"  said  Kerr,  "  I  want  you  to  pull 
an  oar  to  take  Mr.  Bertram  to  the  island  to  preach 
to  those  devils  there  :  what  say  you  ?"  "  Are  you 
going,  captain  ?"  the  man  anxiously  asked  ;  "  if 
you  go,  I  '11  go,  too."  Another  oarsman  was  ob- 
tained from  Captain  Mosey's  brig,  and  presently 
they  were  pulling  away  for  Malagas  Island. 

The  morning  was  as  lovely  as  can  be  conceiv- 
ed— just  such  a  Sabbath  as  disposes  the  heart  to 
peace  and  quietness,  while  it  leads  the  soul  away 
to  the  bowers  of  paradise,  and  impressively  re- 
minds tlic  soul  of  that  rest  which  remaineth  to  the 
people  of  God.  Hardly  a  word  was  spoken,  or  the 
silence  of  the  five  adventurers  interrupted,  dur- 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  97 

ing  the  two  miles  and  a  half,  at  which  distance 
the  Hebe  was  moored  from  the  island. 

As  the  boat  neared  the  landing-place,  scores  of 
the  rioters  hurried  down  to  the  jetty,  or  wharf,  to 
see  who  dared  approach  their  territories.  A  hor- 
rid sight  these  poor,  infatuated  creatures  present- 
ed !  Their  clothes  were  almost  torn  from  their 
backs,  and  hung  about  them  in  tatters.  Hideous 
gashes,  in  some  cases,  and  in  others,  blackened 
eyes,  and  dreadful  bruises,  gave  evidence  of  the 
maddening  fumes  of  dissipation  by  which  they 
had,  for  days  together,  been  driven  to  the  ex- 
tremes of  brutal  fury.  Captains  Kerr  and  Mosey 
sat  almost  stupefied,  as  they  gazed  on  these  hid- 
eous wretches.  Nor  was  Mr.  Bertram  less  moved 
with  instinctive  apprehension.  He  trusted  not, 
however,  in  himself,  but  in  the  living  God,  and 
lifted  his  heart  to  the  Almighty  to  nerve  his  soul 
for  the  hazardous  enterprise. 

Having  fully  committed  himself  to  the  protec- 
tion and  guidance  of  his  Lord,  he  seized  the  ladder 
of  ropes,  as  soon  as  the  boat  touched  the  jetty, 
and,  pulling  himself  up,  in  a  few  moments  he 
stood  in  the  midst  of  the  horrid  crew.  Sincdino- 
out  one ,  whom  he  took  to  be  a  ringleader,  a  tall, 
powerful,  ferocious- looking  fellow,  apparently  pre- 
pared for  any  deed  of  desperation,  he  went  di- 
rectly to  him,  gave  him  his  right  hand,  and,  with 
his  left,  tapped  him  on  the  shoulder,  and  said, 

9 


98  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

"Jack!  do  you  know  me?"  "How  should  I 
know  you,  sir  V3  he  muttered.  "  Well,  well," 
replied  Mr.  Bertram,  "  I  am  a  minister  of  Christ, 
and  I  have  come  to-day,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
to  preach  among  you  the  glorious  Gospel  of  the 
blessed  God."  Then,  pulling  from  his  pocket  a 
flag,  with  which  he  had  furnished  himself  before 
leaving  the  vessel,  he  continued,  "  Do  you  see  this, 
Jack  ?  This  is  the  battle-flag  of  the  Cross,  that 
I  brought  down  with  me  from  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope.  I  see  that  you  have  aflag-rtaff  up  there  on 
the  island.  Now,  my  brave  fellow,  take  this  flag, 
and  let  me  see  how  quick  you  can  run  it  up  to  the 
mast-head."  Turning  to  another  savage-looking 
fellow,  who  stood  by,  he  patted  him  also  on  the 
shoulder,  and  said  to  him,  "That's  a  brave  fel- 
low, Jack;  off  and  help  him." 

It  was  enough.  The  right  chord  was  touched. 
Away  they  went,  hurrahing,  the  whole  of  them,  and 
in  a  few  moments  more  the  Bethel-flag  was  flying 
from  the  top  of  the  flag-staff.  The  signal  roused 
the  whole  island,  and  they  Hew  from  every  tent  and 
lounging-place,  hundreds  of  them  together,  to 
know  what  was  t<>  pay  now.  The  preacher  plant- 
ed himself  on  a  pile  of  guano-bags,  and  began  his 
brief  arrangements  for  the  service.  But  what  a 
motley  assemblage  of  human  beings  stood  before 
him  !  They  Beemed  to  be  the  offscourings  of 
every  British  port  on  earth,  such  as  might  well 


LABORS    AT    SALDANIIA    BAY.  99 

remind  him  of  the  hideous  tenants  of  pandemoni- 
um itself. 

They  gazed  mutually  at  each  other  in  silence, 
a  moment  or  two,  and  the  missionary  hegan : 
"  Men  !  I  have  somewhat  to  say  to  you.  What 
think  ye,  that  the  shipmasters  down  yonder  in  the 
bay  said  to  me,  when  I  told  them  that  I  was  com- 
ing here  this  morning  to  preach  the  Gospel  of 
Christ  to  you  1  Why,  they  told  me  that  you 
were  the  greatest  vagabonds  under  heaven ;  that 
you  would  desecrate  the  service  of  God,  and  take 
my  life.  But,  my  brave  lads,  I  tell  you  that  I 
am  never  afraid,  under  God,  to  trust  my  life  in 
the  hands  of  seamen.  Now,  men,  if  you  will 
only  listen  to  what  I  have  to  say  to  you,  and  take 
the  good  advice  that  I  am  about  to  give  you,  you 
will  have  an  opportunity  to-day  of  redeeming  your 
lost  character.  Some  of  you,  I  dare  say,  were 
brought  up  in  your  tender  years  under  the  care  of 
pious  parents.  Your  godly  fathers  and  mothers 
used  to  talk  to  you,  no  doubt,  about  your  souls, 
and  the  things  of  God  and  heaven.  They  read  to 
you,  perhaps,  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  took  you 
with  them  to  the  sanctuary  of  the  Lord  on  the 
Sabbath  day.  Some  serious  impressions  may 
have  been  made  upon  your  minds  by  the  good 
Spirit  of  God.  You  may  remember  the  pious 
ministers  whose  sermons  you  heard  in  your  boy- 


100  LABOBS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

hood,  and  under  the  sound  of  whose  ministry  you 
sat. 

"  But,  ah  !  that  was  \  long,  long  ago.'  You 
left  the  parental  roof,  and  shipped  for  a  foreign 
port;  you  were  thrown  into  the  company  of  un- 
godly men,  by  whose  example,  conversation,  and 
raillery,  you  were  led  to  shake  off  the  impressions 
of  early  days  ;  and  by  degrees  you  lost  the  re- 
membrance of  a  father's  counsel,  a  mother's 
prayers,  your  good  minister's  discourses,  and 
those  early  impressions  from  the  Lord.  You  were 
led  into  haunts  of  dissipation  and  vice,  and  grad- 
ually became  hardened  in  sin,  until  you  have  ar- 
rived at  your  present  pitch  of  iniquity. 

"  Think,  0  men  !  bethink  yourselves  of  your 
early  impressions,  of  the  good  advice  of  your  par- 
ents, and  the  instructions  of  those  Christian  min 
isters ;  and  let  there  be  now  a  little  serious  re- 
flection, while  I  preach  to  you,  on  Malagas  Island, 
the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God.  Some  of 
you,  I  doubt  not,  are  good  singers.  Your  vocal 
powers  arc  admirable.  You  can  sing  in  your 
groggeries  and  merry-makings,  but  you  never  em- 
ploy these  powers  for  the  glory  of  God.  Perhaps 
there  never  was  sung  on  Malagas  Island  a  song 
ol']. raise  to  God.  Let  us  have  the  first  song  of 
praise  to  our  Maker  lure  this  morning." 

lie  had  brought  with  him  several  seamen's 
hymn-books,  which  he  now  took  from  his  pocket, 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  101 

and  distributed  among  them,  sa)7ing,  "  Here,  men, 
are  some  pretty  little  hymn-books — hymns  made 
for  sailors.  I  brought  them  down  from  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope.  Now  I  will  give  out  one  of  the 
hymns.  Captain  Kerr" — (for  the  two  captains 
had  followed  him) — "  will  pitch  the  tune,  and  let 
us  all  sing  together,  the  hymn  commencing  with 
these  words  : 

'  0  God  of  Bethel,  by  -whose  hand, 

Thy  people  still  are  fed  ; 
Who  through  this  weary  pilgrimage, 

Hast  all  our  fathers  led.' 

Now,  Captain  Kerr,  be  so  good  as  to  pitch  the 
tune.  Come,  my  lads,  strike  in — sing  all  togeth- 
er :  a  long  pull,  a  strong  pull,  and  a  pull  altogeth- 
er. Lift  your  hearts  and  voices  in  praise  to  God. 
Remember  that  we  are  now  worshiping  God." 

Captain  Kerr,  who  had  a  good  voice,  and  was 
familiar  with  the  favorite  tunes  in  which  the 
"Psalms  of  David"  are  sung  in  Scotland,  struck 
up  "  Old  Hundred."  One  by  one  they  began  to 
fall  in  ;  and,  as  line  after  line  was  parceled  out, 
they  joined  more  and  more  heartily,  until  the  good 
old  tune  came  free  and  full  from  hundreds  of  lips, 
and  the  whole  island,  bay,  and  farther  shore  echoed 
with  these  closing  words  of  the  excellent  Dodd- 
ridge : 

"  Such  blessings  from  thy  gracious  hand, 

Our  humble  prayers  implore, 


102  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

And  thou  shall  be  our  chosen  God, 
And  portion  evermore." 

"  Now,  men,"  said  the  preacher,  "  you  have 
sung  nobly,  and,  blessed  be  God  !  you  are  behav- 
ing yourselves  well.  I  am  happy  to  see  it.  Let 
us  now  look  up  to  God  in  prayer."  He  closed  his 
eyes,  clasped  his  hands,  and  gave  free  course  to  a 
full  heart  in  a  fervent  address  to  the  Almighty. 

At  the  close  of  the  prayer,  he  saw  that  the  tears 
had  been  streaming  down  the  cheeks  of  many  of 
his  hard-visaged  hearers.  Taking  fresh  courage 
from  this  manifest  blessing  of  God,  he  then  read, 
in  the  most  impressive  manner  of  which  he  was 
capable,  the  fourth  and  fifth  chapters  of  the  sec- 
ond epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  They  gave  a 
good  degree  of  attention  as  he  proceeded.  "  Now, 
lads!"  he  added,  "you  are  behaving  well,  and  I 
am  glad  to  see  that  you  have  so  much  respect  for 
the  worship  of  God.  You  sung  very  well  the  first 
time  ;  come,  let  us  sing  another  hymn  from  the 
little  book."  Once  more  they  made  the  island 
ring  with  the  good  old  church-music,  endeared  by 
a  thousand  recollections  of  the  far-off  land,  and 
their  native  cot. 

The  missionary  began  now  to  scat  his  audience. 
"  Come,  my  good  lads  !"  he  said,  "  don't  stand  up 
here  any  longer;  gather  round  me  here,  and  sit 
down  «mi  the  rockd,  and  make  yourselves  comfort- 
able, while  I  endeavor  to  preach  to  you  the  good 


LABORS    AT    SAL.DANHA    BAY.  103 

word  of  the  Lord."  The  congregation  were  pres- 
ently seated,  with  the  exception  of  a  gang  of  five 
or  six  scores  of  vicious- looking  characters,  who 
appeared  to  be  at  the  beck  and  call  of  two  or  three 
blackguards,  on  the  right  of  the  mass  of  the  au- 
dience, and  at  some  little  distance.  He  soon  ob- 
served that  they  seemed  to  be  planning  to  break 
up  the  meeting  by  a  tumultuous  rush  upon  the 
missionary.  Holding  up  his  finger,  and  then 
pointing  at  them,  he  said,  "  Come,  come,  you  fel- 
lows there,  I  see  what  you  are  about ;  and  now,  if 
you  do  n't  stop  your  mischief,  and  break  up  all 
your  contrivances,  my  good  friends  around  me 
here  will  soon  put  you  straight.  So,  the  sooner 
you  break  up,  the  better.  Come  and  take  your 
scats  here  along  with  your  other  companions,  and 
I  will  tell  you  things  that  will  do  your  souls 
good."  They  complied  with  the  invitation,  and 
presently  were  all  seated  in  expectation  of  the 
sermon. 

In  proceeding  to  preach,  he  called  their  atten- 
tion to  the  first  clause  of  the  eleventh  verse  of  the 
fifth  chapter  of  the  second  epistle  to  the  Corinthi- 
ans :  "  Knowing,  therefore,  the  terror  of  the  Lord, 
we  persuade  men."  He  began  the  discourse  with 
an  exhibition  of  some  of  the  threatenings,  or  ter- 
rors, of  the  Lord,  addressed  to  the  ungodly ;  and 
showed  how  surely  those  threatenings  would  be 
executed  against  all  who  died  in  unbelief  and  im- 


104  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

penitence.  He  then  showed  them  who  the  ungodly 
were,  and  spoke  of  them  under  several  classes ; 
such  as  drunkards,  liars,  swearers,  sabbath-break- 
ers, profane  persons,  idlers,  and  evil-doers.  The 
evils  of  drunkenness  were  spread  before  them  in 
the  first  place,  as  one  of  the  sins  against  which 
the  wrath  of  God  has  been  revealed.  They  were 
reminded  of  them  by  an  appeal  to  their  own  expe- 
rience, and  especially  to  the  consequences  of  their 
recent  course  of  conduct,  as  well  as  by  what  they 
had  seen  and  known  of  these  evils  in  the  lives  and 
deaths  of  their  comrades  and  others.  Earnest 
expostulations  were  used  with  them  against  any 
further  indulgence  in  this  worse  than  brutal  vice. 

Mr.  Bertram  also  presented  before  them  the 
iniquity  of  malice,  hatred,  revenge,  and  all  strife 
and  contention  ;  he  endeavored  to  make  them 
ashamed  of  their  violence  one  toward  another; 
to  show  them  that  their  hands  were  not  made  to 
beat  and  tear  one  another's  flesh,  but  to  minister 
to  their  comfort,  and  the  good  of  their  fellow- 
creatures.  He  told  them  that  "  God  is  love," 
ami  that  the  kindness  of  the  Almighty,  as  well  as 
His  holy  word,  taught  us  to  love  one  another,  and 
give  up  the  practice  of  fighting  with  our  fellow- 
men. 

The  sin  and  evil  of  swearing  were  next  dwelt 
upon,  and  they  were  told  how  exceedingly  provok- 
ing it  was  to  God,  as  well  as  how  profitless  and 


LABORS    AT    SALDANIIA    BAY.  105 

unreasonable  it  was.  As  he  drew  near  the  close, 
he  said,  "  And,  now,  let  me  persuade  you,  men, 
after  I  have  left  the  island  this  morning,  and  joxl 
no  longer  hear  my  voice  among  you,  to  sit  down 
together  in  groups  about  the  island,  and  read  to 
each  other  these  beautiful  religious  tracts  that  I 
have  brought  down  with  me  from  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope.  Some  of  you,  I  know,  can  read,  if 
others  cannot ;  and,  as  you  have  been  helping  one 
another  in  the  dreadful  work  of  destroying  your 
bodies,  breaking  God's  laws,  and  ruining  your 
souls,  do  try  and  help  one  another,  through  the 
reading  of  these  tracts,  to  repent  of  your  wicked- 
ness, return  to  God,  and  lead  new  lives.  Let  me 
also  add,  if  you  are  permitted  to  live  until  to- 
morrow morning,  just  go  about  your  work  like 
good  fellows.     God  never  intended  us  to  be  idle  : 

'  And  Satan  finds  some  mischief  still 
For  idle  hands  to  do.' 

Let  me  persuade  you  to  go  right  about  it  on  Mon- 
day morning,  and  labor  honestly  and  industriously 
in  your  calling,  as  God  and  man  would  have  }'Ou 
do,  for  your  daily  bread.  And  now  let  me  say,  in 
conclusion,  if  you  will  be  persuaded  to  take  this 
kind  advice,  I  will  come  back  again,  and  preach 
to  you,  if  the  Lord  spares  my  life,  next  Sabbath 
morning.  What  say  you,  men,  shall  I  come  V 
With  one  voice  almost  they  cried  out,  "  Come, 


106  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

sir  !  Oh  !  come.  We  like  your  preaching,  sir, 
and  will  be  glad  to  have  you  come  again  ;  and 
then  we  will  have  a  far  better  place  prepared  for 
you."  "Blessed  be  God!"  he  responded;  "it 
is  not  guns  and  pistols  that  you  want ;  it  is  not 
cutlasses,  and  ships-of-war,  and  cannon-balls  that 
will  serve  to  subdue  you.  No :  it  is  the  blessed 
gospel  of  Christ ;  it  is  the  precious  blood  of  Jesus  ; 
it  is  the  Spirit  of  God.  Now,  men,  you  have  be- 
haved well,  very  well ;  blessed  be  God  !  You 
sung  well  at  the  commencement  of  the  service, 
but  you  will  sing  better  at  the  conclusion." 

Another  hymn  was  given  out,  that  was  sung 
with  a  right  good-will,  and  the  meeting  was  closed 
with  prayer  and  the  benediction.  He  then  took 
leave  of  them,  invoking  upon  them,  as  they  heartily 
responded  to  his  parting  salutations,  the  blessing 
of  the  Almighty  ;  and,  accompanied  by  his  two 
friends,  he  stepped  into  the  boat  at  the  end  of  the 
jetty,  and  soon  made  his  way  down  the  harbor  to 
the  principal  anchorage.  But,  not  as  they  came, 
went  they  back.  Captains  Mosey  and  Kerr,  who 
kept  their  peace  before,  were  now  full  of  what 
they  had  seen  and  heard.  They  declared  that 
the  humble  missionary  of  the  Cross,  with  the  sim- 
ple gospel  of  Christ,  had  accomplished  far  more 
that  morning  than  her  Majesty's  ship-of- war,  with 
all  her  carnal  weapons.  Mr.  Bertram  preached 
in  the  p.m.   to  the   shipmasters  and   the   crews 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  107 

on  board,  and  with  none  the  less  force  from  the 
remarkable  experience  of  the  morning.  Thus 
ended  his  second  Sabbath  in  Saldanha  Bay. 

The  developments  of  the  following  morning 
were  awaited  with  no  little  interest  at  the  anchor- 
age. Very  soon  after  the  rising  of  the  sun,  it 
became  apparent  that  the  mutineers  had  returned 
to  duty.  The  luggage-boats  were  put  in  requisi- 
tion, and  the  most  active  operations  of  business 
wore  resumed.  "The  sword  of  the  Lord  and  of 
Gideon  "  had  triumphed.  The  walls  of  opposition 
had  fallen  down  at  the  blowing  of  the  Gospel  trum- 
pet. The  weapons  of  a  spiritual  warfare,  more 
potent  than  bristling  bayonets,  had  proved 
"  mighty,  through  God,  to  the  palling  down  of 
strongholds."  The  island  presented  an  appear- 
ance of  busy  and  orderly  industry,  as  opposite  as 
possible  to  the  scenes  of  the  preceding  fortnight. 
The  quarreling,  fighting,  and  horrid  dissipation 
of  those  two  weeks  had  given  place  to  peace,  con- 
tentment, diligence,  promptness,  and  sobriety. 
Let  God  be  praised,  and  man  adore  ! 

It  was  no  fitful  movement.  Throughout  the 
week,  the  bay  and  island  presented  the  same  busy 
and  happy  scenes.  The  following  Sabbath  morn- 
ing brought  with  it  a  perfect  readiness  on  the  part 
of  the  shipmasters  to  send  Mr.  Bertram  to  the 
island.  On  his  arrival  he  was  greeted  with  a 
hearty    welcome   by  his    grateful    congregation, 


108  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

■whose  appearance  presented  a  striking  contrast 
to  the  tumultuous  and  riotous  assembly  into  which 
he  had  cast  himself,  a  "week  before,  unheralded 
and  unbidden.  The  bloody  faces  had  been 
washed  ;  the  soiled  and  torn  garments  had  been 
exchanged  for  clean  and  tidy  clothes  ;  and  a  much 
more  convenient  place  had  been  prepared  for  the 
field-preacher,  whose  ministrations  they  now  re- 
ceived with  the  utmost  gladness. 

Thus,  for  several  weeks,  the  humble  missionary 
of  the  Cross,  who,  by  God's  grace,  had  achieved  a 
nobler  triumph  than  any  ever  won  on  battle-fields 
in  "  garments  rolled  in  blood,"  continued  to  preach 
to  the  temporary  inhabitants  of  Malagas  Island, 
every  Sabbath  morning,  with  increasingly  happy 
results;  and  in  the  afternoon  to  the  shipmasters 
at  the  anchorage  within  the  bay.  Every  facility 
for  the  prosecution  of  his  voluntary  mission  was 
afforded  by  the  masters  of  vessels  ;  and,  to  their 
credit  it  should  be  spoken,  they  gave  heed  them- 
selves to  the  word  preached.  Grateful  for  what 
they  had  seen  and  heard,  they  appeared  to  be  im- 
pressed also  with  a  vivid  sense  of  the  obligations 
of  religion,  and  to  feel  a  sincere  desire,  some  of 
them,  at  least,  for  a  personal  interest  in  the  grace 
of  the  Gospel.  This  they  manifested,  not  only  by 
a  most  respectful  attendance  on  the  Sabbath  ser- 
vices, hut  by  coming  together  for  religions  services 
occasionally  during  the  week,  on  hoard  several  of 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  109 

the  vessels,  where  such  meetings  were  held. 
Death  was  not  idle  during  this  period,  as  he  never 
is  ;  and  several  of  the  shipmasters  as  well  as  sea- 
men, by  some  casualty,  or  virulent  disorder,  were 
summoned  to  their  audit  with  the  Great  Judge. 
They  slept  the  sleep  that  knows  no  waking  until 
the  last  great  morning  dawns.  It  was  customary 
when  a  seaman  was  taken  sick  to  send  for  Mr. 
Bertram  to  read,  and  talk,  and  pray  with  him,  al- 
most as  regularly  as  to  send  for  the  physician  ; 
and  at  the  death  of  any  of  them  he  performed  the 
solemn  services  of  prayer  and  exhortation,  so  ap- 
propriate to  the  last  sad  scene  of  our  mortal  pil- 
grimage. 

While  thus  diligently  and  usefully  employed, 
Mr.  Bertram  received  a  communication  from  Cape 
Town,  conveying  the  distressing  intelligence,  that 
his  only  daughter,  a  lovely  child,  six  years  old, 
had  been  run  over  in  the  street  near  his  dwelling- 
place,  by  an  eight-horse  wagon,  and  was  lying 
in  a  very  critical  state,  having  barely  escaped 
with  life.  His  immediate  return  to  the  Cape  was 
required,  and  the  unwelcome  information  soon 
flew  from  ship  to  ship.  The  deepest  sympathy 
was  universally  expressed  for  their  beloved  chap- 
lain, in  his  affliction,  and  regret  at  the  necessity 
of  their  being  deprived  of  his  inestimable  services. 
A  polite  and  affectionate  note  was  sent  him,  re- 

10 


110  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

questing  him   to  deliver  a  farewell  discourse  the 
same  evening  on  board  of  Captain  Kerr's  ship. 

In  the  evening  about  sixty  or  seventy  shipmas- 
ters assembled  in  the  "  Fama,"  to  whom  he 
preached  as  requested.  At  the  conclusion  of  the 
service,  three  of  the  shipmasters  rose,  and,  ap- 
proaching the  preacher,  stated,  that  they  had 
been  appointed  by  the  masters  of  vessels  in  the 
harbor,  to  present  him,  in  their  name,  with  a 
purse  of  gold,  which  they  put  into  his  hands,  with 
their  most  grateful  thanks  for  his  kind  services, 
and  for  what  God  had  enabled  him  to  do  for  them 
by  the  preaching  of  His  blessed  gospel ;  and  that 
they  further  desired  him  to  purchase,  from  the 
contents  of  the  purse,  a  silver  cup,  as  a  memorial 
of  their  gratitude,  and  to  place  upon  it  this  inscrip- 
tion : — 

"  Purchased  by  request  out  of  a  purse  of  gold  presented 
to  the  Kev.  Janus  M'Gregor  Bertram  by  about  fifty  com- 
manders of  vessels  and  other  gentlemen  at  Saldanha  Bay,  as 
a  mark  of  esteem  for  his  zeal,  manifested  for  the  moral  and 
spiritual  improvement  of  their  crews  and  workmen  employed 
on  Malagas  Island,  in  preaching  among  them  the  unsearch- 
able riches  of  Christ. 

DEPUTATION, 
Captain  English,  Captain  Neil, 

C  U'TAIN   AvMI.RS. 

Saldanha  Jin;/.  K'/A  June,  isi",. 

Mr.  Bertram  expressed  his  deep  sense  of  their 


LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY.  Ill 

kindness,  and  assured  them  that,  when  he  came 
down  from  the  Cape  to  preach  among  them,  he 
had  no  expectation  of  receiving  a  shilling  for  his 
services  ;  that  he  came  not  for  their  silver  or  gold, 
but  purely  for  the  salvation  of  their  souls;  and 
that  in  receiving  the  purse  he  had  to  request  them, 
that,  instead  of  a  cup,  they  'would  allow  him  to 
purchase  a  silver  watch,  of  which  he  stood  in  need, 
and  to  have  the  inscription  placed  upon  its  case. 
It  was  a  very  tender  and  affecting  scene.  They 
parted,  to  meet  no  more,  in  many  cases,  until 
they  should  meet "  at  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ." 

On  the  following  day  he  took  his  departure  by 
land,  and  at  the  expiration  of  four  days,  being 
assisted  by  the  Dutch  farmers  in  passing  from  one 
settlement  to  another,  he  arrived  at  Cape  Town, 
and  had  the  happiness  to  find  that  his  daughter, 
(under  the  kind  and  unremitting  attentions  of  Dr. 
Abercrombie,  to  whom  he  will  ever  feel  under  the 
deepest  obligations,)  wras  rapidly,  by  the  blessing 
of  God,  recovering  from  her  injuries.  His  jour- 
ney gave  him  also  an  admirable  opportunity  to 
see  something  of  the  beautiful  scenery  and  exu- 
berant fertility  of  Southern  Africa.  The  watch 
was  purchased,  and,  with  the  inscription  prepared 
at  Saldanha  Bay,  has  become  his  inseparable 
companion. 

At  the  time  of  Col.  Napier's  visit  to  the  Bay, 
about  the  first  of  October,  1846,  nearly  sixteen 


112  LABORS    AT    SALDANHA    BAY. 

months  after  Mr.  Bertram's  sojourn  of  eight  or 
ten  weeks,  "  a  solitary  bark  lay  motionless  at 
anchor  in  one  of  the  small  rocky  inlets  of  the  gulf; 
the  guano  had  disappeared,  and  the  penguins  had 
resumed  their  sway  over  the  gray  rocks  of  Malagas 
Island  ;  "  a  scaffolding  or  two,  on  the  water's 
edge,  to  facilitate  the  embarkation  of  the  manure, 
were  the  only  remaining  indications  of  the  busy 
scenes  which  had  of  late  enlivened  its  now  aban- 
doned shores."  The  revenue  accruing  to  the 
government,  at  the  rate  of  twenty  shillings  per 
ton,  is  said  to  have  reached  the  sum  of  .£200,000, 
leaving  a  vast  sum  to  swell  the  fortunes  of  the 
principal  dealers  in  this  lucrative  traffic. 

Thus  helpful  is  the  gospel  to  the  pursuits  of 
commerce,  and  to  the  productiveness  of  human 
labor.  The  merchants  of  Great  Britain  and 
America  might  well  afford  to  plant  a  seaman's 
chaplain  in  every  sea-port  on  the  globe.  They 
would  be  vastly  the  gainers  by  such  an  operation. 
Remember,  ye  merchant  princes  !  the  hardy  sons 
of  the  ocean,  by  -whom  ye  have  your  wealth. 
Think  of  them,  care  for  them,  save  them  from 
perdition.  The  least  that  you  can  do  for  them 
is  to  give  them  the  gospel.  You  cannot  give 
them  a  greater  gift.     Withhold  not  that. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

LIFE     AT      ST.      HELENA. 

"  A  man's  heart  deviseth  his  way  ;  but  the 
Lord  directeth  his  steps."  The  hand  of  God  is 
very  often  distinctly  seen  in  the  shaping  of  human 
counsels,  as  it  may  always  eventually  be  seen  in 
human  history.  In  cases  not  a  few,  enterprises 
of  immense  importance  have  been  undertaken,  not 
as  the  result  of  far-seeing  calculation  on  the  part 
of  the  agents  enlisted  in  the  work,  but  in  obedi- 
ence to  some  unforeseen  and  unthought-of  move- 
ment in  the  operations  of  Divine  Providence. 
The  very  failure  of  our  own  plans,  the  disappoint- 
ments to  which  we  are  subjected,  and  the  preva- 
lence of  opposite  counsels,  serve  frequently  to 
bring  us  into  spheres  of  labor,  and  positions  of 
influence,  where  we  can  accomplish  far  more,  for 
God  and  man,  than  if  our  fondest  hopes,  and 
wisest  counsels,  had  been  fulfilled. 

"  Our  indiscretion  sometimes  serves  us  well, 
When  our  deep  plots  do  pall ;  and  that  should  teach  us. 
There  's  a  divinity  that  shapes  our  ends 
Rough-hew  them  how  we  will." 


114  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

Previous  to  the  return  of  Mr.  Bertram  from 
Saldanha  Bay,  the  good  hand  of  the  Lord  was 
preparing  for  him,  without  his  knowledge,  and 
without  so  much  as  a  thought  of  any  such  thing, 
a  field  of  labor,  and  a  home,  in  the  midst  of  the 
vast  Atlantic.  One  of  the  inhabitants  of  Cape 
Town,  a  young  man,  who  had  resided  there  about 
five  years,  and  had  recently  been  converted  to 
God  through  the  labors  of  some  of  the  missionary 
brethren  at  the  Cape,  resolved  to  make  a  visit  to 
the  island  of  St.  Helena,  the  place  of  his  nativity. 
To  this  he  was  actuated  in  part,  by  a  natural  de- 
sire, not  only  to  see  again  his  friends  and  kindred, 
but  to  tell  them  also  what  the  Lord  had  done  for  his 
soul.  When  he  looked  around  on  the  spiritual  des- 
olation of  his  kinsmen,  and  their  fellow-islanders  ; 
when  he  saw  that  thousands  of  immortal  beings 
were  living  at  St.  Helena,  in  almost  entire  disre- 
gard, and  many  of  them  in  ignorance,  of  the 
"  Great  Salvation,"  his  heart  was  stirred  within 
him,  and  he  longed  to  do  something  for  their  spir- 
itual good. 

On  the  return  of  this  young  man  to  the  Cape, 

he  could  not   but   tell,  to   his   Christian  friends, 

what  he  had  seen  and  heard,  of  the  destitution 

in  his  native  isle.     So  deplorable  was  the  picture 

that  he  presented,  and   so   earnest   was   he   in  his 

representations,  as  greatly  to  move  the  hearts  of 

the  ministers  and  their  people.     They  took  coun- 

l 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  115 

sel  together,  and  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  resolved 
to  undertake  the  enterprise  of  sending  a  mission- 
ary to  St.  Helena. 

It  was  while  the  Spirit  of  God  was  thus  direct- 
ing their  minds  to  this  new  field  of  labor,  that 
Mr.  Bertram  unexpectedly  returned  from  his  suc- 
cessful mission  at  Saldanha  Bay.  Immediately 
on  his  return,  he  received  a  visit  from  his  friend 
and  brother,  the  Rev.  George  Morgan  ;  who  was 
accompanied  by  the  Hon.  Judge  Williams,  who 
had  come  thither  from  India  for  the  recovery  of 
his  health  ;  a  man  of  the  greatest  devotion,  and  of 
most  exemplary  life,  as  a  follower  of  Christ. 
They  came  to  press  upon  his  consideration  the 
mission  to  St.  Helena.  They  urged  him  to  aban- 
don his  original  intention  of  penetrating  into  the 
interior  of  the  continent,  and  called  his  atten- 
tion to  the  fact,  that  here  was  as  wide  a  sphere 
of  influence  opened  before  him  as  he  could  expect 
or  wish.  They  represented  that  a  large  number 
of  the  population  of  the  island  were  in  an  exceed- 
ingly benighted  state,  and  expressed  their  aston- 
ishment, that  no  Protestant  dissenting  missionaries 
had  been  sent  thither  from  Great  Britain  or 
America,  while,  it  was  confidently  stated,  the 
Church  of  Rome  were  contemplating  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  mission  among  the  natives  of  the 
island.     They  entreated  him  to  go  and  take  pos- 


116  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

session  of  the  ground,  before  the  arrival  of  the  two 
priests  and  emissaries  of  the  Pope. 

As  the  proposition  was  entirely  unlooked-for, 
and  the  sphere  of  service  novel,  Mr.  Bertram,  like 
a  prudent  man,  desired  time  to  inform  himself, 
and,  as  in  duty  bound,  ask  counsel  of  God.  In 
all  former  emergencies  of  the  kind,  he  had  be- 
taken himself  to  the  throne  of  grace,  with  the 
prayer  of  the  converted  Saul,  and  asked,  "  Lord  ! 
what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  V1  and  never  in 
vain.  A  voice  from  the  inner  sanctuary  had  again 
and  again  responded,  "  This  is  the  way,  -walk  ye 
in  it."  Some  of  his  good  brethren  at  the  Cape 
■would  have  had  him  remain  there,  believing  that 
he  was  more  needed  in  that  port  than  even  at  St. 
Helena.  But  what  was  to  become  of  the  good 
work  so  happily  commenced  at  Saldanha  Bay  I 
His  return  to  that  station  was  urgently  entreated. 
A  letter  had  been  addressed  to  the  Rev.  George 
Morgan,  begging  him  to  use  his  influence  to  send 
Mr.  Bertram  back  again  to  Malagas  Island. 

"  I  have  taken  the  liberty,"  says  Mr.  John- 
stone, June  23d,  1845,  "  of  addressing  you  these 
few  lines,  at  the  request  of  the  seamen  and  Eu- 
ropean laborers  employed  on  this  island;  and  they 
much  regret  that  the  Ilev.  Mr.  Bertram's  stay 
was  not  of  a  longer  duration,  as  his  visits  to  this 
island  proved  a  most  beneficial  service  to  the  poor 
islanders;  and  every  Sunday  morning  a  general 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  117 

inquiry  takes  place,  to  know  if  his  visits  will  be 
renewed,  as  he  would  be  hailed  with  enthusiasm, 
and  a  most  welcome  return."  Mr.  Tait  also 
wrote  to  Rev.  J.  C.  Brown,  by  the  same  convey- 
ance, and  said,  "It  would  be  doing  an  act  of 
charity,  by  those  who  can  order  the  same,  to  let 
us  have  our  much  and  late  respected  friend  again 
with  us  fop  a  short  period,  as  his  services  would 
be  hailed  with  the  greatest  esteem." 

At  the  expiration  of  about  ten  or  twelve  days, 
the  path  of  duty  became  so  plain,  that  he  deter- 
mined to  make  a  visit,  at  least,  to  St.  Helena, 
.preparatory  to  the  commencement  of  a  mission  in 
that  island,  should  the  way  be  clear.  Measures 
were  immediately  taken,  on  the  part  of  the  Rev. 
Messrs.  Morgan,  Brown,  Hodgson,  Beck,  and 
Ridsdale,  with  other  Christian  friends,  to  provide 
an  outfit  for  the  missionary.  The  following  state- 
ment was  drawn  up  as  the  basis  of  an  appeal  for 
contributions  to  the  enterprise  : 

"  The  Island  of  St.  Helena,  though  hitherto  un- 
occupied by  any  missionary  society,  presents  a 
most  interesting  field  for  missionary  labor.  The 
population  of  the  island  amounts  to  between  five 
and  six  thousand,  of  whom  about  two  thirds  are 
people  of  color.  A  large  proportion  of  this  latter 
class  is  scattered  over  the  island,  and  left  too 
destitute  of  religious  instruction  ;  while  many  who 
are  within  reach  of  the  means  of  grace  are  living 


118  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

in  a  state  of  irreligion  and  immoralit}T,  and  need 
the  labors  of  a  zealous  missionary  to  stir  them  up 
to  a  due  concern  for  the  salvation  of  their  souls. 
In  addition  to  this  all-important  consideration,  the 
'  signs  of  the  times'  render  it  extremely  desirable 
that  a  Protestant  missionary  should  enter  on  this 
promising  field  of  labor  without  delay.  Nor  is  it 
unworthy  of  the  true  Christian  philanthropist  to 
regard,  with  peculiar  interest,  the  spot  where  JY'a- 
po/eon  terminated  his  career  in  exile  and  in  death, 
and  to  cherish  the  fond  desire,  that  St.  Helena 
should  obtain  a  far  more  glorious  celebrity  from 
the  triumphs  of  the  Cross. 

"The  Rev.  J.  M'Gregor  Bertram,  who  has 
lately  been  laboring  at  Saldanha  Bay,  has  ex- 
pressed his  willingness  to  proceed  immediately  to 
St.  Helena,  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  destitute 
portion  of  its  population  ;  and  it  is  proposed  to 
raise  a  subscription  to  aid  in  defraying  his  ex- 
penses. 

"  It  will  be  understood  that  those,  who  may  be 
pleased  to  subscribe  their  names,  do  not  in  the 
least  degree  pledge  themselves  to  repeat  their  con- 
tributions, the  object  being  simply  to  enable  Mr. 
Bertram  to  enter  upon  his  benevolent  enterprise 
without  pecuniary  embarrassment,  leaving  it  to  be 
determined  by  the  result  of  his  labors,  whether  he 
shall  take  up  his  permanent  residence  at  St.  Hel- 
ena, or  proceed  to  some  other  part  of  the  world, 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  119 

-whither     Divine     Providence     may    direct     his 
steps." 

To  this   paper  were   subscribed  the  following 
names,  with  the  amount  of  their  contributions  : 

Rev.  George  Morgan,  Scot-  .  Mi-.  W.  Cairncross,  Junior 

tish  Church.  "    T.  Cairncross. 

"    J.  C.  Brown,  Union  Ch.  "    Broadway. 

"    T.  L.  Hodgson,   Sup'dt.  "    J.  Reid. 

of  Wesleyan  Missions.  "    A.  Hutchinson. 

"    J.  II.  Beck,  S'th  African  "    C.  S.  Pillars. 

Missionary  Society.  "    G.  Thompson. 

"    B.  Ridsdale,  Wes.  Miss.  "    Bokrodailes. 

Mr.  Alexander,  B.  C.  S.  "    J.  Lawton. 

"    Hawkins,           do.  Dr.  Abercrombie. 

'*    Brown,               do.  Mr.  Rutherford. 

"    Williams,          do.  "    Solomon. 

"   W.  Cairncross,  Senior.  A  Friend,  etc.,  etc.,  etc. 

A  similar  statement  also  appeared,  June  21st, 
in  the  "  Commercial  Advertiser,"  of  Cape  Town  ; 
and  in  the  July  number  of  "  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  Christian  Magazine,"  a  monthly  periodical 
of  decided  ability,  which  had  been  commenced  in 
the  preceding  January.  In  answer  to  these  ap- 
peals, a  sum  exceeding  sixty-five  pounds  was  con- 
tributed by  the  gentlemen  above-named,  of  which 
nearly  forty  pounds  were  collected  by  the  truly 
excellent  Judge  Williams,  who  had  manifested  so 
great  an  interest  in  the  enterprise.  Captain 
James  Adams,  of  the  brig  "  Velox,"  since  de- 
ceased, very  generously  made  him  the  offer  of  a 
free  passage  to  the  island ;  for  which,  and  his 


120  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

subsequent  kindness  to  one  of  Christ's  disciples, 
he  has  ere  this  received,  we  doubt  not,  the  reward 
promised  by  the  Great  Head  of  the  Church  to  hiru 
who  giveth  a  cup  of  water  to  any  of  His  servants 
in  the  name  of  Christ.  On  Saturday,  June  28th, 
Mr.  Bertram  bade  farewell  to  his  family,  and, 
provided  with  letters  to  a  worthy  resident  of  the 
island,  he  set  sail,  with  a  favoring  wind,  for  his  fu- 
ture home. 

St.  Helena  is  a  singular  elevation  of  rock 
in  the  midst  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  eighteen  hund- 
red miles  from  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  twelve 
hundred  miles  from  the  nearest  coast  of  Africa, 
two  thousand  miles  from  South  America,  and  six 
hundred  miles  from  the  Island  of  Ascension,  which 
is  the  nearest  land.  It  lies  in  15°  15'  south  lati- 
tude, and  5°  49'  west  longitude  from  Greenwich. 
Its  extreme  length  is  ten  and  a  half  miles;  its 
breadth,  six  and  three-quarter  miles  ;  and  its  cir- 
cumference, twenty-eight  miles.  It  contains  an 
area  of  thirty  thousand  three  hundred  acres. 

The  island  was  discovered,  May  21,  1502,  by 
the  Portuguese  navigator,  Juan  de  Nova  Castel- 
la,  and  received  its  name  in  honor  of  the  day  of 
its  discovery,  the  festival  of  "Saint  Helena." 
Not  a  human  being,  probably,  had  ever  before 
trodden  its  soil.  An  unbroken  forest  covered  the 
island.  Its  shores  abounded  with  seals,  sea-lions, 
and  wild-fowl.      So  it  remained  until   the  year 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  121 

1513.  Fernandez  Lopez,  a  Portuguese  noble- 
man, on  his  way  home  from  India,  where  he  had 
been  mutilated  for  crime,  by  order  of  Governor 
Albuquerque,  prevailed  upon  the  captain  to  set 
him  ashore  on  this  uninhabited  island,  whose  sol- 
itudes he  preferred  to  the  shame  and  contempt 
that  awaited  him  in  his  native  land.  His  situa- 
tion having  been  made  known  to  his  friends  in 
Portugal,  they  quickly  furnished  him  with  sup- 
plies of  useful  plants  and  trees,  and  various  kinds 
of  domestic  animals,  all  which  flourished  and  mul- 
tiplied greatly.  Lopez  was  suffered  to  remain 
only  about  four  years,  when  the  island  was  again 
left  without  a  human  tenant. 

A  somewhat  different  account  is  given  by  oth- 
ers ;  who  say,  that  Governor  Albuquerque,  after 
the  battle  of  Goa,  condemned  several  of  his  coun- 
trymen, who  had  previously  deserted,  and  who 
now  fell  into  his  power,  to  lose  their  noses,  ears, 
right  hands,  and  thumbs  of  their  left  hands,  and 
to  be  sent  in  this  condition  to  Portugal ;  but  that 
they  were  all  put  on  shore,  with  a  few  negroes,  at 
St.  Helena,  with  poultry  of  various  kinds  to  serve 
for  their  subsistence. 

The  former  authorities  represent  that  it  next 
became  the  abode  of  four  negroes,  who  had  es- 
caped from  a  slave  ship,  and  who  shortly  in- 
creased to  twenty.  The  Portuguese,  however, 
who  had  found  the  island  a  convenient  place  for 

11 


122  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

obtaining  a  supply  of  fresh  provisions,  and  feared 
lest  the  live-stock  and  fruits,  which  had  vastly 
multiplied  since  the  days  of  Lopez,  would  be  en- 
tirely exhausted  by  the  negroes,  hunted  them  out 
and  destroyed  them.  A  Franciscan  friar  is  said 
after  this  to  have  occupied  the  island  alone  for  the 
space  of  fourteen  years,  until  his  death  or  removal 
by  the  Portuguese. 

About  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  the 
island  appears  to  have  been  made  a  regular  settle- 
ment, and  to  have  been  subjected  to  cultivation. 
It  was  visited,  in  June,  1588,  by  Sir  Thomas  Cav- 
endish, on  his  return  from  a  voyage  around  the 
world.  A  church  had  been  erected,  which  he  par- 
ticularly describes.  He  speaks  of  the  valley 
where  it  was  built  as  extremely  pleasant,  and  full 
of  plants  and  fruit-trees,  having  long  rows  of  lem- 
on, citron,  pomegranate,  date,  and  fig- trees,  nice- 
ly trimmed,  and  forming  beautiful  shady  walks. 
He  found  great  store  of  partridges,  pheasants, 
turkeys,  goats,  and  swine. 

Prom  this  time  it  became  a  convenient  stopping- 
place  for  English,  Dutch,  Spanish,  and  Portu- 
guese vessels.  It  would  sometimes  be  the  case, 
that  hostile  vessels  would  meet  here  ;  and  conse- 
quently naval  battles  he  fought  in  the  harbor,  fol- 
lowed by  the  wanton  destruction  of  the  town  and 
plantations,  when  the  victors  were  at  Avar  with 
the   Portuguese.     On  these  accounts,  the  settle- 


LIFE    AT    ST.   HELENA.  123 

ment  was  abandoned  in  the  early  part  of  the  sev- 
enteenth century,  and  once  more  became  desolate. 

Several  Portuguese  sailors,  having  escaped  from 
the  wrecks  of  their  two  vessels,  landed  here  in 
1048,  and  again  stocked  the  island  with  cattle, 
goats,  swine,  poultry,  etc.  Two  years  after,  it 
came  into  the  possession  of  the  Dutch,  who  plant- 
ed here  a  colony,  but  abandoned  the  island,  when, 
in  1652,  they  formed  their  settlement  at  Table 
Bay.  It  came  into  the  possession  of  the  British 
government,  under  the  Protectorate  of  Oliver 
Cromwell,  shortly  after,  on  occasion  of  a  visit 
from  the  homeward-bound  East  India  fleet.  A 
fort  was  erected  in  1658,  by  Captain  Dutton,  the 
first  British  governor,  which  was,  after  the  Res- 
toration, called  "  Fort  James,"  in  compliment  to 
the  Duke  of  York,  from  whom,  also,  the  principal 
settlement  at  the  anchorage  received  the  name  of 
"  James'  Town."  Settlers  were  encouraged,  and 
slaves  were  imported  from  Madagascar.  Charles 
II.  gave  it  by  charter  to  the  East  India  Company. 
It  was  visited  by  Rennefort  in  1666,  who  found  a 
population  of  about  seventy  whites,  of  whom  twen- 
ty were  females,  besides  a  few  negroes.  The  great 
fire  of  London  in  the  same  year  added  several  col- 
onists, who  were  driven  abroad  to  amend  their  ru- 
ined fortunes. 

It  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Dutch  in  1672,  but 
was  recaptured  in  the  following  year  by  a  squadron 


121  LIFE    AT    ST.  HELENA. 

of  British  vessels  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Munden  ;  who  succeeded  by  false  colors  in  deco3r- 
ing  and  capturing  six  East  Indiamen,  and  an  out- 
ward-bound ship  of  the  enemy  ;  for  which  ex- 
ploits he  received  the  reward  of  knighthood.  His 
name  was  also  given  to  the  point  and  fort  on  the 
left  of  the  entrance  to  the  harbor.  In  1676,  '7, 
and  '8,  the  island  became  the  abode  of  the  youth- 
ful astronomer,  Edmund  Halley,  who,  at  the  age 
of  twenty-two,  visited  the  island  to  observe  the 
transit  of  Venus  ;  and,  during  his  abode,  made  his 
observations  of  the  fixed  stars  in  the  southern  hem- 
isphere, and  funned  them  into  constellations,  of 
which  he  published  an  account  in  the  following 
year.  The  hill  on  which  his  instruments  were 
erected  has  since  been  known  as  "  Halley's 
Mount,"  and  has  an  elevation  of  two  thousand 
four  hundred  and  sixty-seven  feet  above  the  sea. 

When  the  island  was  visited  inl69J  by  Captain 
Dampier,  lie  found  there  a  fort,  with  a  garrison, 
"  and  a  good  number  of  great  guns."  The  (own 
wis  small,  "  the  inhabitants  having  their  planta- 
tions deeper  into  the  country,  which  furnish  them 
with  potatoes,  plantains,  bananas,  hogs,  bullocks, 
COoks  and  hens,  ducks,  geese,  and  turkeys,  in  vast 
plenty."  The  latter  years  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury were  characterized  by  frequent  and  violent 
disturbances  at  the  island  on  account  of  taxes  ; 
which  continued,  more  or  less,  until,  in  1700,  all 


LIFE    AT    ST.  HELENA.  125 

the  "  spirit-stills"  that  had  occasioned  the  trouble, 
were  suppressed.  During  the  following  century 
the  population  continued  to  increase,  and  the 
products  of  the  island  were  greatly  multiplied.  It 
prospered  much  at  the  close  of  the  century  under 
Governor  Brooke,  in  whose  time  it  was  made  a  de- 
pot for  training  recruits  for  the  armies  of  the  East 
India  Company,  to  the  number  of  more  than  twelve 
thousand  soldiers,  and  the  fortifications  were  great- 
ly strengthened.  About  two  hundred  Chinese  la- 
borers were  introduced,  in  and  shortly  after  1810, 
as  well  as  new  colonists  from  England  ;  so  that 
a  larger  amount  of  land  was  speedily  brought  un- 
der cultivation. 

The  subsequent  history  of  St.  Helena  is  better 
known.  On  the  loth  of  October,  1815,  a  British 
squadron,  under  the  command  of  Admiral  Sir 
George  Cockburn,  cast  anchor  in  James'  Town 
Harbor,  St.  Helena.  From  the  deck  of  the 
"  Northumberland"  ship-of-war,  Napoleon  Buo- 
naparte gazed,  with  glass  in  hand,  on  his  sepul- 
chre. The  next  day  beheld  him  treading  that  soil 
which  he  was  never  to  leave  with  life.  This  isl- 
and had  been  chosen  as  his  place  of  confinement, 
because  of  its  immense  distance  from  every  other 
inhabited  coast,  its  complete  isolation  in  the  wide 
waste  of  waters,  the  perfect  ease  with  which  its 
walls  of  precipitous  rock  might  be  made  impreg- 
nable,  and  the   greater  freedom  that   could   be 


126  LIFE    AT    ST.   HELENA. 

given  to  the  imperial  prisoner  within  his  sea-girt 
fortress. 

The  government  of  the  island,  which  to  this  pe- 
riod had  been   in   the   hands  of  the   East  India 
Company,  was  now  surrendered  to  the  crown.    The 
military  force  was  largely  increased,  and  every  ac- 
cessible  portion  of  the  rocky  coast  put  in  a  state 
of  complete  defense.     Four  or  five  hundred  can- 
non, some    of   them    thirty-two    pounders,    were 
mounted  on  the  rocks  and  hills  that  commanded 
the  harbor  and  avenues,  so  that  the  whole  island 
bristled  with  munitions  of  war.      The  average  an- 
nual   charges    were    increased    from   <£90,000   to 
.£242,000  for  seven  years.     The  imprisonment  of 
the  Corsicnn,  therefore,  cost  the  British  govern- 
ment not  less  than  one  million  pounds  sterling; 
from  which  they  were  relieved  by  the  decease  of 
their  illustrious  captive,  May  6th,  1821.      During 
the  following  year,  the  royal  forces  were  removed, 
and  the  custody  of  the  island  reverted  once   more 
to  the  East  India  Company,  in  whose  hands  it  re- 
mained  until    the  year  L833,  when,  the  Company 
having  failed  to  secure  a  renewal  of  their  ancient 
charter,  it  was  finally  relinquished  to  the  crown  of 
Great   Britain.     Since  that  time  it  has  been  put 
on  the  footing  of  a  British  colony,  under  the  ad- 
ministration of ;,  governor  and  council.     It  is  gar- 
risoned with  a  battalion  of  riflemen,  and  a  de- 
tachment of  artillery.    The  fortifications  are  forty- 


LIFE    AT    ST.  HELENA.  127 

three,  defended  by  two  hundred  and  forty-three 
mortars,  howitzers,  and  guns. 

The  brig  Velox,  with  the  first  Protestant  dis- 
senting missionary  that  had  ever   sailed  for  St. 

Helena,  to  live  ;tn<l  labor  among  its  neglected  pop- 
ulation, arrived  in  James'  Valley  Bay,  early  on 
Monday,  July  14th,  1845.  The  island  may  be 
seen  at  the  distance  of  about  forty  miles,  and  then 
seems  like  a  dense  cloud,  of  an  undulating  out- 
line, just  within  the  horizon.  The  night  prevent- 
ed Mr.  Bertram  from  obtaining  a  nearer  view,  un- 
til the  brig  had  come  close  up  to  the  rocky  coast, 
which  now  frowned  in  gloomy  grandeur  almost 
overhead.  A  dark  pile  of  rocks  it  seemed,  rising 
precipitously  out  of  the  sea,  roughly  jagged  at  the 
sides,  and  peaked  at  the  top,  bare  of  verdure,  with 
the  exception  of  a  small  patch  of  moss  here  and 
there  ;  the  vast  mass  looking  like  the  summit  of 
some  lofty  volcano,  whose  base  is  planted  deep  in 
the  ocean,  anil  rises  from  five  hundred  to  twenty- 
seven  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  It 
forms  a  girdle  of  inaccessible  precipices  of  basal- 
tic rocks,  some  of  them  rent  to  their  bases,  and 
presenting  immense  and  frightful  chasms  of  the 
most  fantastic  shapes  that  can  be  thought  of. 

As  the  brig  glided  around  the  northeast  cornea* 
of  the  island,  in  the  usual  track  of  vessels  from 
"  the  Cape,"  point  after  point  of  the  same  grand 
and  gloomy  character  was  passed,  until  they  came 


128  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

in  sight  of  a  small  fort  at  the  top  of  a  rock,  rising 
about  five  hundred  feet  from  the  sea,  so  abruptly, 
that  a  ship  may  pass  in  full  sail  within  a  few  yards 
of  its  base.  On  rounding  Munden's  Point,  below 
the  fort  just  named,  the  striking  panorama  of 
James'  Valley,  on  the  northwest  side  of  the  isl- 
and, came  full  in  view.  Directly  in  front  of  them, 
on  the  right  of  the  anchorage,  rose  a  lofty  preci- 
pice, known  as  "  Ladder  Hill,"  surmounted,  at  an 
elevation  of  about  eight  hundred  feet,  by  fortifica- 
tions, and  ascended  by  a  circuitous  road,  cut  with 
immense  labor  out  of  the  face  of  the  rock,  for  the 
convenience  of  carriages.  The  hill  derives  its 
name  from  an  inclined  railway,  or  ladder,  extend- 
ing almost  directly  from  the  fort  down  to  the  land- 
ing place,  tor  the  conveyance  of  provisions  and 
other  supplies  to  the  summit ;  which  may  also  be 
ascended  by  pedestrians,  although  few  can  endure 
the  fatigue.  Over  against  this  hill,  another  rocky 
ridge  arose  on  the  east,  almost  as  high,  called 
w  Rupert's  Hill."  Between  these  two  mountain- 
ous clifi's,  a  deep  gorge  was  seen  to  extend,  as 
through  a  natural  gateway,  into  the  interior; 
along  which,  and  particularly  at  its  lower  termina- 
tion, appeared  a  pretty  cluster  of  white  houses, 
embosomed  in  verdure,  known  as  "James'  Town," 
among  which  are  seen  most  conspicuously  the  gov- 
ernor's house  and  an  Episcopal  ohurch. 

Almost  as  soon  as   the   anchor   was   dropped, 


LIEE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  129 

Mr.  James  Morris — a  resident  of  the  town,  to 
whom  Mr.  Bertram  had  been  commended,  in  a 
letter  of  introduction  from  the  Rev.  T.  L.  Hodg- 
son, Superintendent  of  the  Wesleyan  Missions  in 
the  Cape  Colony,  and  who  had  learned  by  another 
arrival  two  days  before  that  a  missionary  was 
coming — hastened  on  board,  and,  finding  him, 
said,  after  reading  Mr.  Hodgson's  letters — "  Have 
you  come  here,  Mr.  Bertram,  to  preach  Christ's 
Gospel?"  "I  have,  by  the  will  of  God,"  was 
the  prompt  reply.  "  Do  you  intend  to  make  the 
island  your  home  ?"  "  I  do."  "  And  pray,  sir, 
who  sent  you  here?"  "  Why,  sir,  I  believe  that 
God  sent  me  here."  "  Well,  my  dear  friend," 
said  Mr.  Morris,  "  there  are  only  four  or  five 
persons  on  the  island  who  know  any  thing  about  a 
work  of  grace  in  their  hearts,  and  they  have  met 
twice  a  week  for  the  last  six  months,  to  beseech 
God  to  send  them  a  missionary  to  break  to  them 
the  bread  of  life ;  and  is  it  possible,  that  God  has 
already  heard  our  poor  prayers,  and  sent  }rou  to 
minister  to  us  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  ?  My 
dear  sir,  I  cannot  tell  you  how  welcome  you  are." 
Mr.  Morris  at  once  bade  him  accompany  him 
to  the  shore,  and  take  up  his  abode  with  him  until 
he  could  be  better  accommodated ;  and  his  invi- 
tation was  promptly  accepted.  Both  persons  and 
goods  arc  landed  at  a  jetty,  the  only  one  in  the 
harbor,  which  is  provided  with  cranes  and  stairs 


130  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

for  the  purpose,  not  very  well  adapted,  however, 
for  the  accommodation  of  either.  From  the  land- 
ing-place, a  narrow  road,  lined  with  evergreen 
trees,  of  the  banian  species,  called  in  Bengal,  the 
peepul  tree,  leads  along  the  face  of  the  perpendic- 
ular cliff,  toward  the  gate  of  the  fortress  and 
town,  at  the  mouth  of  the  valley  or  gorge,  which 
is  here  crossed  by  a  strong  and  lofty  wall,  pierced 
witli  embrasures,  and  mounted  with  guns.  Be- 
fore reaching  the  gate,  a  wide  moat  is  crossed  by 
a  drawbridge.  Beyond  the  gate  the  town  resem- 
bles an  orderly  garrison ;  every  portion  of  the 
gully  over  which  it  is  built,  and  which,  narrowing 
rapidly  as  it  ascends,  is  nowhere  more  than 
six  hundred  yards  wide,  has  been  improved  as 
much  as  possible.  The  houses  are  built  along 
three  principal  streets,  arc  generally  of  cut  stone, 
and  slated  ;  but  are  seldom  more  than  two  stories 
in  height.  The  gateway  forms  one  side  of  the 
parade-ground,  which  is  about  two  hundred  feet 
square,  and  is  kept  very  neatly.  In  two  of  the 
streets  are  found  numerous  shops,  in  which  are  to 
be  had  the  produce  of  both  hemispheres  and  con- 
tinents The  principal  street  is  Macadamized  in 
the  center,  with  pebble-walks  on  the  sides,  and 
extends  the  distance  of  a  mile,  with  rows  of  the 
peepul    tree,  the    most  of   the  way,  on  either  side. 

The   Bcenery    is    altogether   unique.      The    bold 
crags  towering  on  either  hand  ;  the  hills  far  away 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  131 

up  the  winding  road  that  leads  into  the  interior ; 
and  the  broad  expanse  of  ocean,  the  wide  waste 
of  waters  in  front,  form  one  of  the  most  pictur- 
esque scenes  on  which  the  eye  can  rest. 

The  house  is  shown  in  the  town  where  Napoleon 
rested  the  first  night  after  his  landing.  It  is  said 
to  be  the  same  that  was  occupied  by  the  Duke  of 
Wellington,  when,  on  his  way  to  India,  he  passed 
some  weeks  on  the  island.  Singularly  enough, 
Wellington  was,  at  the  time  of  Buonaparte's  arri- 
val, in  the  occupation  of  one  of  the  ex-emperor's 
palaees.  It  is  also  said,  to  have  been  owing  to  a 
suggestion  of  the  duke's,  that  St.  Helena  was 
chosen  as  the  prison  of  Napoleon,  the  quick  eye 
of  the  experienced  soldier  having  discerned  how 
admirably  fortified  it  was  by  nature,  and  could  be 
by  art. 

The  coming  of  Mr.  Bertram  was  soon  made 
known  to  the  little  band  of  praying  disciples  at 
James'  Town,  who  presently  found  him  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Morris,  and  with  tears  of  joy  made 
him  welcome  to  St.  Helena.  Among  them  was 
an  old  soldier,  who  had  spent  his  early  life  in  the 
service  of  the  East  India  Company,  had  for  many 
years  been  put  on  the  retired  list,  and  was  now 
living  on  a  pension.  Captain  D.  O'Connor  was 
a  godly  man,  of  the  Congregational  denomination, 
who,  for  thirty  years  or  more,  had  testified  for 
God,  like  Lot  in  Sodom.     His  name  and  char- 


132  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

acter  were  known  throughout  the  tropics.  He 
corresponded  with  good  men  abroad,  and,  among 
others,  with  the  Rev.  Rufus  Anderson,  D.D.,  of 
Boston,  one  of  the  Secretaries  of  the  A.  B.  C.  of 
Foreign  Missions,  from  whom  he  used  to  receive, 
with  the  Annual  Report  of  the  American  Board, 
a  package  of  religious  tracts,  which  he  and  his 
good  lady  took  pleasure  in  distributing  among  the 
Europeans  on  the  island.  This  valiant  old  soldier 
of  the  Cross,  like  blessed  Simeon  of  old,  was  wait- 
ingfor  the  consolation  of  Israel.  He  had  attained 
a  good  age,  and,  like  the  ancient  patriarch,  "  wor- 
shiped, leaning  upon  the  top  of  his  staff." 

It  was  a  joyful  day  to  Captain  O'Connor,  when 
with  his  own  eyes  he  beheld  the  missionary  of  the 
('ross,  who  had  come  to  gather  in  Christ's  scat- 
tered  sheep,  and  to  make  St.  Helena  his  home. 
Doubtless  he  said  in  his  heart — "Lord!  now 
let  test  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  for 
mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation."  Grasping 
Mr.  Bertram  by  the  hand,  and  with  moistened 
-,  he  said — "  I  have  long  been  praying,  my 
dear  sir,  that  some  missionary  of  the  Cross  might 
be  scut  to  preach  to  this  perishing  population. 
And  now  the  day  begins  to  dawn  !"  During  the 
remaining  twelve  or  fifteen  months  of  his  life,  he 
continued  the  devoted  friend  of  the  missionary, 
and  died,  blessing  God  for  all  the  good  that  he 
had  lived  to  see  accomplished. 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  133 

Preparations  were  made  for  a  sermon  on  the 
evening  of  the  next  day,  Tuesday,  at  the  house  of 
Mr.  Morris.  The  large  dining-room,  where  the 
praying  hand  had  heen  wont  to  meet,  was  seated 
so  as  to  hold  about  sixty  persons,  and  was  filled 
with  an  intelligent  congregation  of  whites,  to  whom 
Mr.  Bertram  preached  from  Acts  xvi.,  14,  15  : 
"  And  a  certain  Avoman,  named  Lydia,  a  seller  of 
purple,  of  the  city  of  Thyatira,  which  worshiped 
God,  heard  us ;  whose  heart  the  Lord  opened, 
that  she  attended  unto  the  things  which  were 
spoken  of  Paul.  And  when  she  was  baptized, 
and  her  household,. she  besought  us,  saying,  If  ye 
have  judged  me  to  be  faithful  to  the  Lord,  come 
into  my  house,  and  abide  there.  And  she  con- 
strained us."  It  was  a  word  in  season,  and  high- 
ly appropriate  to  the  occasion. 

He  told  them  that  the  natural  heart,  univer- 
sally, is  closed  against  its  Maker  and  Lord ;  that 
God  had  a  key  by  which  to  open  the  heart,  a 
wonder-working  key ;  the  plan,  the  shape,  the 
design  of  which  were  devised  in  the  counsels  of 
heaven  from  eternity,  and  finished  on  earth,  in 
Gethsemane  and  Calvary,  when  the  Saviour  of 
mankind  travailed  in  the  greatness  of  His  strength, 
and  gave  birth  to  the  world's  redemption  ;  that 
God  had  already  opened  millions  of  hearts  with 
this  key,  and  could  as  many  more  ;  and  that  he 
had  brought  that  key — "the  glorious  gospel  of 

12 


134  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

the  blessed  God" — with  him  from  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope,  in  the  hope  that  He,  who  had  there- 
with opened  the  heart  of  Lydia,  would  open  the 
hearts  also  of  many  of  the  St.  Helenians. 

It  was  evident,  from  the  number  attending  this 
first  service,  and  the  interest  manifested  by  the 
audience,  that  a  larger  room  would  be  needed. 
It  pleased  God  to  put  it  into  the  heart  of  an  ex- 
cellent lady,  Mrs.  Janisch,  to  open  her  parlor  for 
the  use  of  the  missionary.  She  was  the  widow  of 
the  late  Dutch  consul,  from  whom  she  had  been 
separated  about  twenty  months.  Her  house  was 
one  of  the  largest  in  town,  and  she  herself  of  the 
first  respectability.  Mr.  Bertram  very  gratefully 
waited  upon  her,  and  arranged  for  a  service  there 
on  Friday  evening.  Information  of  the  appoint- 
ment having  been  generally  circulated,  the  place, 
large  as  it  was,  would  not  hold  the  people  who 
came  together  to  hear  the  word  of  God.  It  was 
a  style  of  preaching  to  which  they  had  never  lis- 
tened on  that  island.  The  chaplains,  who  alone 
had  officiated  there,  were  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, ami  their  preaching  destitute  of  power  and 
life,  if  not  of  godliness.  When  the  people,  thcre- 
fore,  heard  a  minister  of  Christ,  pouring  forth  a 
burning  stream  of  gospel-truth  upon  his  hearers, 
they  were  most  deeply  interested.  The  Spirit  of 
God  appeared  to  be  at  work  at  the  very  first  ser- 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  135 

vice,  stirring  up  the  sinner  to  think,  and  feel,  and 
pray. 

The  great  respectability  of  Mrs.  Janisch,  at 
whose  house  Mr.  Bertram  was  permitted  to  hold 
his  religious  services  on  the  Sabbath,  as  well  as 
at  other  times,  operated  very  favorably  upon  his 
enterprise.  In  that  portion  of  the  world,  and 
generally  in  the  British  colonies,  a  wide  chasm 
separates  the  crown  officers  and  their  families, 
from  the  households  of  the  mechanics  and  trades- 
men. Not  seldom  they  have  no  more  dealings 
one  with  another,  in  matters  of  social  intercourse, 
than  had  the  Jews  and  Samaritans  of  old.  The 
former  pride  themselves  on  their  education,  official 
position,  and  fortune.  They  are  the  aristocracy ; 
far  more  consequential  than  the  same  class  at  the 
court  of  St.  James,  and  more  difficult  of  approach. 
When  Mr.  Bertram  was  introduced,  by  a  minis- 
ter of  the  gospel,  in  a  book-store  at  Boston,  to  his 
Excellency,  Governor  Briggs,  and  saw  nothing 
but  a  plain  Yankee  farmer,  in  appearance,  dressed 
and  demeaning  himself  like  any  other  man,  and 
neither  exacting  nor  receiving  any  other  testimoni- 
als of  respect  from  his  fellow-citizens  than  are 
paid  to  one  another  in  the  ordinary  intercourse  of 
well-bred  gentlemen ;  and  afterward,  at  Pitts- 
field,  Massachusetts,  was  sought  out  by  the  gov- 
ernor, and  invited  to  his  hospitable  mansion, 
■where  the  door  was  opened  by  his  son,  and  his 


186  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

reception  was  as  frank  and  genial  as  if  he  had 
been  an  intimate  friend  of  the  family  ;  he  could 
scarcely  believe  his  own  senses  ;  it  was  so  entirely 
different  from  the  cold,  stately,  ceremonious,  and 
frequently  pompous  receptions  of  colonial  govern- 
ors, who  seem  to  regard  themselves  as  representa- 
tives of  Imperial  Majesty,  and  bound  to  keep 
themselves  at  a  respectful  distance  from  men  of 
non-official  dignity. 

In  justice,  however,  to  a  most  worthy  servant 
of  the  British  crown,  it  should  be  said,  that  his 
Excellency,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Hamilton  Tre- 
lawny,  the  Governor  of  St.  Helena,  showed  no 
little  kindness  to  Mr.  Bertram,  and  proved  him- 
self a  gentleman  in  every  sense  of  the  word. 
During  the  trials  to  which  the  missionary  was 
subjected  subsequently,  he  threw  around  him  the 
shield  of  his  official  protection,  and,  at  his  death, 
some  two  years  after  the  commencement  of  the 
mission,  Mr.  Bertram  mourned  as  for  a  father 
departed.  Owing,  in  part  at  least,  to  the  coun- 
tenance given  by  the  governor,  whose  daughter, 
with  her  husband,  became  an  attendant  on  his 
ministry,  he  obtained  a  hearing  from  the  most  re- 
spectable  families  in  the  town. 

Very  Bhortly  after  he  began  to  preach  at  the 
house  of  Mrs.  Janisch,  he  learned  from  this 
Worthy  widow,  that  she  was  greatly  distressed  on 
account  of  her  eldest  son,  Hudson,  who,  at  his 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  137 

father's  decease,  bad  been  left,  next  to  his  mother, 
in  charge  of  the  family.  For  some  time  he  had 
proved  a  worthy  helper  to  his  widowed  parent, 
but  latterly  had  associated  with  giddy  young  men, 
was  becoming  addicted  to  late  hours,  and  some- 
what skeptical.  She  wished  Mr.  Bertram  to  em- 
brace a  favorable  opportunity  of  counseling  him 
in  private.  He  had  been  absent  in  the  interior, 
on  a  frolic,  when  his  mother's  house  was  first 
opened  for  preaching.  On  his  return  the  next 
morning,  he  remonstrated  with  his  mother,  on  the 
impropriety  of  making  her  parlor  '•'  a  meeting- 
house," and  somewhat  angrily  insisted  on  her 
withdrawing  the  permission  that  she  had  given. 
To  this  she  could  by  no  means  give  her  assent ; 
but  said  :  "  You  must  come  yourself,  my  son, 
and  hear  the  missionary,  and  if  you  should  not  be 
pleased,  it  will  be  a  very  easy  matter  for  us  to 
say,  that  it  will  no  longer  be  convenient  to  open 
our  house  for  preaching." 

On  the  Sabbath,  July  20th,  Mr.  Bertram 
preached  at  nine  o'clock,  a.m.  ;  the  hour  having 
been  appointed  so  as  not  to  conflict  with  the  ser- 
vice in  the  church  at  a  quarter  to  eleven  o'clock ; 
and  so  deep  was  the  impression,  that  almost  the 
whole  congregation  were  in  tears.  Mr.  Hudson 
R.  Janisch  was  present.  At  the  close  of  the 
service,  he  met  his  mother  in  the  drawing-room, 
and  said  :  "  Do  not  say  any  thing,  mother,  to  Mr. 


138  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

Bertram  about  not  preaching  here  again.  Those 
are  solemn  things  we  have  heard  this  morning." 
He  retired  to  his  chamber,  with  the  arrows  of 
conviction  rankling  in  his  heart,  and  began  to 
weep  and  pray.  Not  long  after,  he  called  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Morris,  (at  whose  dwelling  Mr.  Ber- 
tram was  entertained  as  a  most  welcome  guest, 
free  of  charge,  for  several  weeks  after  his  arrival,) 
made  known  to  the  missionary  the  distress  of  his 
bouI,  and  was  gladly  instructed  by  him  in  the 
way  of  salvation.  About  five  weeks  from  that 
time,  he  found  "joy  and  peace  in  believing,"  at 
a  prayer-meeting  held  at  the  house  of  the  only 
American  lady  on  the  island. 

The  conversion  of  Mr.  Janisch  was  soon  noised 
abroad,  and  produced  a  deep  sensation,  lie  was 
universally  regarded  as  not  having  his  superior, 
for  talents  and  education,  among  the  young  men 
of  St.  Helena.  No  expense  had  been  spared,  by 
his  deceased  father,  in  preparing  him  for  public 
life,  lie  occupied  a  place  of  distinguished  trust 
in  the  employ  of  the  government.  The  Home 
dispatches  mostly  passed  through  his  hands,  and, 
it  was  supposed,  proceeded  in  some  cases  from 
his  own  pen.  His  appearance  was  also  very  pre- 
possessing, being  tall  and  of  good  proportions. 
Having  found  peace  with  God,  he  gave  himself 
fully  to  the  service  of  liis  Maker,  and  cast  in  his 
influence  with  that  of  Mr.  Bertram,  to  whom  he 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  139 

afterward  became  an  invaluable  helper.  His 
noble  mother,  who  moved  in  the  highest  circles  of 
society,  had  hitherto  been  a  stranger  to  experi- 
mental piety.  But  lie,  who  opened  the  heart  of 
Lydia,  opened  the  eyes  and  heart  of  her  who  had 
opened  her  doors  for  His  ambassador,  and  she  too 
was  soon  found  among  the  happy  subjects  of  re- 
deeming grace.  Salvation  literally  came  to  her 
house,  and  several  of  her  family  were  brought  into 
the  kingdom  of  Christ.  Three  daughters,  also, 
of  Captain  Pritchard,  one  of  whom  has  since  be- 
come the  wife  of  Mr.  Janisch,  were  also  brought 
to  believe  in  Christ,  and,  with  many  others,  in 
similar  circles,  to  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of 
God.  A  blessed  revival  of  religion  had  com- 
menced, which  resulted,  within  a  few  weeks,  in 
the  hopeful  conversion  of  about  fifty  souls. 

A  few  days  after  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Bertram, 
inquiry  having  been  made  as  to  the  Missionary 
Society  by  whom  he  had  been  sent  to  the  island, 
and  the  fact  having  been  made  known,  that  he 
came  at  his  own  charges,  and  received  no  salary 
from  any  source  whatever,  several  individuals 
drew  up  and  subscribed  the  following  paper : 

"  James'  Town,  St.  Helena,  July  23</,  1845. 

"Dear  Sin  : 

"  Having  understood  that  it  is  your  intention  to 
request   Mrs.    Bertram    and   children   (with  the 


140  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

blessing  of  the  Almighty),  to  join  you  upon  the 
return  of  the  brig  '  Velox '  to  this  island — We, 
the  undersigned,  your  friends  and  sincere  well- 
wishers,  being  desirous  that  your  sojourn  among 
us  should  be  more  permanent  than  it  otherwise 
would  be,  if  separated  from  your  wife  and  family, 
beg,  in  furtherance  of  your  intention,  to  present 
you  with  the  amount  affixed  opposite  our  respec- 
tive names,  which  we  earnestly  hope  will  meet 
witli  your  acceptance. 

"  We  beg  to  offer  our  sincere  wishes  for  the 
health  ami  happiness  of  yourself,  Mrs.  Bertram, 
and  children,  and  that  your  residence  among  us 
may  be  mutually  beneficial  to  yourself,  and,  dear 
sir, 
"Your  sincere  Friends  and  Well-wishers." 

This  very  complimentary  note,  written  only 
nine  days  after  his  arrival,  was  signed  by  Captain 
O'Connor,  Messrs.  S.  &  J.  Scott,  Mr.  W.  Car- 
roll, U.  S.  Consul,  Messrs.  T.  Charlett,  J.  Elliot, 
and  H.  R.  Janisch,  with  Mrs.  Galbraith  and 
several  others  ;  and  the  sum  presented  was  £20, 
or  about  one  hundred  dollars.     Captain  Adams, 

of   the   Velox,  very   generously  offered    a  free   pas- 

e  to  Mrs.   Bertram  and  her  two  children,  as  he 

had    to    her    husband  ;   and    about    the  middle  of 

September,  they  embarked  at  Cape  Town,  on  the 
A  elox,  fur  St.  Helena,  where   they  arrived  about 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  141 

the  first  of  October,  and  were  welcomed  by  a  host 
of  ardent  friends,  whom  God  had  raised  up  for  the 
missionary  and  his  family. 

The  house  of  Mrs.  Janisch  served  to  accommo- 
date the  increasing  congregation  for  a  short  time 
only.  The  blessing  of  God  had  so  manifestly 
rested  on  the  undertaking  from  the  very  day  of 
Mr.  Bertram's  landing,  as  to  make  it  evident, 
that  a  permanent  and  more  commodious  place  of 
worship  must  be  procured.  He  was  under  the 
necessity  of  making  the  appeal — "  The  place  is 
too  strait  for  me  ;  give  place  to  me,  that  I  may 
dwell."  Application  was  made,  but  without  suc- 
cess, for  the  use  of  one  of  the  public  schools. 
Better  success  attended  the  request  for  the  use  of 
a  school-room,  occupied  by  Mr.  Thompson,  the 
teacher  of  a  private  school ;  but  this,  which  they 
could  use  only  in  the  evening  of  other  days  than 
the  Sabbath,  also  proved  insufficient.  Yet 
thronged  as  were  the  places  of  their  assembling 
together,  so  much  so  that  the  people  frequently 
crowded  around  the  doors  and  windows,  and  stood 
in  the  open  streets  to  hear  the  word  of  God,  they 
were  not  able  to  furnish  themselves  with  better 
accommodations  for  about  ten  weeks. 

It  was  determined  to  call  a  meeting  of  the 
friends  of  the  enterprise,  on  the  30th  of  July,  only 
sixteen  days  after  Mr.  Bertram's  arrival,  to  con- 
sult on  the  propriety  of  securing  the  erection  or 


142  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

purchase  of  a  mission  house.  Of  this  meeting, 
Mr.  Janisch,  who  was  appointed  its  secretary, 
gave  the  following  account,  two  days  after,  in  a 
letter  to  the  Rev.  George  Morgan,  of  Cape 
Town : 

"  St.  Helena,  1st  August,  1845. 
"  Rev.  Sir  : 

"  It  affords  me  much  pleasure  to  inform  you,  that 
the  views  of  yourself  and  worthy  supporters,  in 
sending  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bertram  among  us,  have 
met  with  great  success,  and  bid  fair  to  be  attend- 
ed with  a  prosperity  worthy  of  the  cause.  In 
furtherance  of  your  intentions,  a  subscription  hag 
been  set  on  foot  for  raising  the  means  of  building 
a  mission  house  (or  chapel),  and  on  the  first 
meeting  for  the  purpose,  <£163  were  subscribed, 
and,  we  have  every  reason  to  add,  with  a  readi- 
ness and  cheerfulness  highly  gratifying  to  every 
one  truly  interested  in  the  good  cause. 

"It  was  also  proposed,  and  carried  by  unani- 
mous assent,  that  our  most  heartfelt  and  sincere 
thanks  be  conveyed  to  yourself  and  the  other 
friends  associated  with  yon,  who  have  so  liberally 
furnished  the  means,  under  God,  for  the  coming 
of  our  reverend  friend  among  US. 

"  I  doubt  not  you  will  be  highly  gratified  to 
know,  that  our  worthy  governor's  family  attended 
a  meeting  held  last  evening;  as  their  countenance 
of  it  must  undoubtedly  have  great  influence  over 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  143 

the  many,  who  are  guided  by  example  even  more 
than  precept,  and  will  tend  greatly  to  remove  any 
unfounded  prejudice  which  may  exist. 

"  Trusting  you  will  convey  to  your  friends  the 
united  thanks  which  I  have  been  requested  to 
tender  you,  and  with  a  confident  hope  of  the  con- 
tinuance of  their  support,  I  have  the  honor  to  re- 
main, etc." 

At  this  meeting,  Mr.  Carroll  proposed  that  a 
sum  of  <£500  be  raised,  for  the  purpose  of  pro- 
viding for  the  congregation  a  place  of  worship  ; 
and  a  committee,  consisting  of  Captain  O'Con- 
nor, Thomas  Charlett,  Esq.,  Messrs.  William 
Carroll,  Hudson  R.  Janisch,  and  five  others,  was 
appointed  to  ascertain  what  could  be  done  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  worshipers.  As  their  ne- 
cessities were  urgent,  and  the)'  could  not  wait  un- 
til a  building  could  be  erected  for  their  use,  they 
were  authorized  to  procure  the  largest  stone  edi- 
fice in  the  town  that  could  be  purchased.  A  large 
stone  dwelling-house  in  the  central  part  of  the 
town,  directly  opposite  the  officers'  barracks,  be- 
longing to  a  lady  in  India,  was  purchased  of  her 
agent  for  X550,  subject  to  the  ratification  of  the 
owner.  Possession  was  immediately  given,  on  the 
condition  of  an  annual  rent,  should  the  owner  re- 
fuse them  the  privilege  of  purchase. 

Measures  were  at  once  taken  to  alter,  repair, 


144  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

and  furnish  the  building,  for  the  two-fold  purpose 
of  a  house  of  worship,  and  a  dwelling-place  for  the 
missionary  and  his  family.  All  this,  however, 
could  not  be  accomplished  in  less  than  about  two 
months. 

In  the  mean  time,  Mr.  Bertram  continued  at 
his  work.*  After  the  novelty  of  the  occasion  had 
passed,  and  the  evangelical  style  and  matter  of 
his  preaching  became  more  fully  known,  some  of 
his  early  hearers  began  to  be  offended.  "  From 
that  time  many  of  his  disciples  went  back,  and 
walked  no  more  with  him."  This  defection  of 
some  of  the  families  of  the  place  arose  from  the 
opposition  made  to  him  by  the  ecclesiastical  au- 
thorities of  the  town. 

The  colony  was  provided  with  two  clergymen 
of  the  Church  of  England,  in  the  pay  of  the  gov- 
ernment, with  large  salaries,  one  of  whom  was 
called  the  colonial,  and  the  other,  the  military 
chaplain.  The  former  ministered  to  the  Euro- 
pean residents,  and  the  other  to  the  soldiers. 
They  were  both  of  the  Oxford  School,  and  fully 
embraced  the  Romanizing  doctrines  of  Dr.  Pu- 
sey  and  the  Tractarians.  They  were  great  stick- 
lers for  the  dogmas  of  apostolical  succession,  con- 
substantiation,  baptismal  regeneration,  and  the 
opus  operation  of  the  sacraments.     They  were, 

•  See  Appendix,  A 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  145 

as  a  matter  of  course,  greatly  alarmed,  when  they 
heard  that  a  dissenting  preacher  had  come  to  take 
up  his  abode  on  the  island  ;  and  still  more  so, 
when  Sabbath  after  Sabbath,  and  night  after 
night,  they  saw  the  people  flocking  to  hear  him. 
They  endeavored  to  dissuade  the  community  from 
giving  him  any  countenance.  But  when  they  pre- 
vailed nothing,  and  it  appeared  as  if  the  whole 
town  would  go  after  him,  they  proclaimed  in  pri- 
vate and  in  public,  that  "  the  Church  was  in  dan- 
ger.'' To  this  it  was  very  properly  replied,  that 
if  such  was  really  the  case,  it  could  not  be  Christ's 
Church  ;  for  that  never  was,  and  never  will  be,  in 
danger.  Christ  had  promised  that  the  gates  of 
hell  should  never  prevail  against  it. 

Several  of  the  Oxford  Tracts  were  put  into  free 
circulation  ;  particularly  the  Tract  of  Archdea- 
con Wilberforce,  on  "  Disunion."  The  cry  of 
u  Schism !"  was  now  raised,  and  the  people  were 
told,  that  it  was  a  grievous  sin  against  God  and 
His  Church,  to  attend  upon  the  ministry  of  a  man, 
on  whose  head  the  apostolical  hands  of  some  lord 
bishop  had  never  been  laid;  that  such  a  man, 
whatever  he  might  pretend,  and  however  he  might 
find  favor  with  men,  could  find  no  favor  with  God, 
was  no  minister  of  Christ,  and  nothing  better  than 
a  wolf  in  sheep's  clothing,  a  minister  of  Satan,  an 
impostor.  They  warned  the  people,  to  stand 
aloof  from  him,  lest  they  also  should  partake  in 

13 


146  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA, 


/ 


the  plagues  winch  were  sure,  sooner  or  later,  t* 
come  upon  him  and  his  adherents.  They  bade 
the  people  bring  their  children  to  them  to  be  duly 
regenerated,  made  members  of  Christ's  body,  and 
inheritors  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  in  the  waters 
of  holy  baptism ;  and  assured  them,  that  if  their 
children  died  without  this  ordinance,  they  could 
never  be  saved  ;  and  their  bodies  could  be  buried 
only  in  the  shades  of  evening,  or  by  night. 

But  none  of  these  things  moved  him,  against 
whom  they  were  aimedT  from  his  purpose  of  preach- 
ing the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.  Contro- 
versy was  avoided,  and  the  truth  plainly  and  point- 
edly preached.  The  work  of  grace  ceased  not, 
"  and  believers  were  the  more  added  to  the 
Lord." 

The  mission  house  was  completed,  and  set 
apart  for  the  worship  of  God,  early  in  October. 
The  services  of  dedication  were  graciously  owned 
of  God,  and  attended  with  the  deepest  interest  by 
a  crowded  assembly.  The  following  letter,  writ- 
ten on  the  8th  of  November  to  a  friend  at  Cape 
Town,  and  published  in  the  Cape  Magazine  for 
January,  1846,  makes  mention  of  this  event,  and 
gives  other  interesting  particulars  of  the  progress 
of  the  good  work  : 

"  Five  weeks  ago  we  entered  into  the  new  mis- 
sion house,  a  very  neat  and  comfortable  place  in 
every  sense  of  the  word.     So  much  zeal  and  en- 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  147 

ergy  had  been  displayed  by  the  then  few  friends 
of  Mr.  Bertram,  to  procure  this  place,  and  make 
it  suitable  as  a  place  of  worship,  that,  on  the  day 
it  was  opened,  Mr.  Bertram  was  quite  overcome 
with  joy  that  the  Lord  had  thus  prospered  him, 
and  provided  a  place  where  prayer  should  in  fu- 
ture be  made.  All  the  service  was  beautifully  ap- 
propriate. The  afternoon's  discourse  was  an  ex- 
position of  the  word  '  Gospel;'  and,  I  can  assure 
you,  the  hearts  of  many  appeared  touched.  The 
room  is  calculated  to  hold  three  hundred  persons, 
and  during  the  last  three  weeks  many  have  not 
been  able  to  find  a  seat.  It  is  open  every  evening 
in  the  week,  Mondays  excepted,  and  a  Bethel  it  is 
indeed.  As  the  attendance  increased,  it  was  pro- 
posed that  a  certain  sum  should  be  raised  for  Mr. 
Bertram's  support,  and  in  less  than  a  week  £100 
were  subscribed  ;  and  it  is  supposed  that  the  mis- 
sion-box will  yield  about  £bQ  more  per  annum  ! 
This  you  would  call  great  doings,  could  you  but 
witness  the  shameful  opposition  and  party-spirit 
prevalent  here.  Many  persons  are  convinced  of 
sin,  and  some  of  influence  are  among  those  who 
are  showing  their  faith  by  their  works.  The  great 
interest  in  things  spiritual  felt  by  the  soldiers  is 
surprising.  About  twenty  of  them  went  to  Mr. 
Bertram  on  Monday  last,  and  asked  permission  to 
have  an  unfinished  room  in  his  yard  as  a  place  for 
prayer.     Mr.   Bertram   immediately    consented, 


148  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

and,  during  their  hours  for  meals,  they  are  en 
gaged,  heart  and  hand,  in  getting  the  room  in  or- 
der." 

Another  letter,  written  about  two  months  later, 
and  published  in  the  Cape  Magazine  for  March, 
1846,  after  giving  an  account  of  the  interesting 
exercises  in  the  chapel  on  Christmas  Day,  and  on 
New  Year's  Eve,  which  were  very  much  thronged, 
and  deeply  solemn,  adds  the  following  : 

"  Mr.  Bertram's  ministry  is  assuredly  crowned 
with  success  ;  and,  I  trust,  he  has,  and  will  have, 
souls  to  his  hire  in  this  place.  You  would  be 
pleased  with  our  neat  little  chapel,  and  the  com- 
modious dwelling  occupied  by  the  minister  ;  truly 
it  seems  peculiarly  adapted  in  every  respect,  and 
to  have  come  into  the  hands  of  the  committee  as 
of  God's  providing. 

"  Wonders  have  been  done  at  St.  Helena  with- 
in the  last  few  months,  which,  had  any  one  fore- 
told a  year  ago,  he  would  have  found  skeptical 
hearers  ;  yet  I  fear  poor  temporal  support  is  to 
be  found  for  Mr.  Bertram  on  this  barren  spot. 
Of  this  he  seems  totally  regardless,  assured  that 
the  '  Lord  will  provide'  as  long  as  he  is  engaged 
in  his  Master's  work.  The  will  is  not  wanting, 
I  firmly  believe,  among  his  hearers  ;  but  they  are, 
almost  all,  of  the  poorest  of  the  community. 
Should  help  be  wanting,  I  do  hope  our  neighbor 
Colony,  who  so  kindly  and  nobly  came  forward  to 


LIFE    AT    ST.  HELENA.  149 

send  the  man  of  God  to  us,  will  not  withhold  fur- 
ther aid. 

"A  good  work  lias  commenced  among  the  sol- 
diers, to  some  of  whom  Mr.  Bertram's  ministry 
has  been  greatly  blessed.  The  chapel  is  situated 
just  opposite  the  lower  end  of  the  officers'  parade, 
close  to  the  barracks.  An  outer  room  of  the 
building,  to  which  there  is  access,  without  any  in- 
terference with  the  dwelling,  Mr.  Bertram  allows 
the  soldiers  exclusively  for  their  own  use  ;  it  is  so 
close  to  their  barracks,  that  they  can  hear  the 
slightest  bugle  call,  and  is,  consequently,  pecu- 
liarly convenient  to  them.  They  repair  there  at 
any  and  all  hours,  when  not  on  duty,  for  private 
or  for  social  prayer.  If  they  have  but  a  few  min- 
utes to  spare,  they  can  thus  turn  it  to  the  best  ac- 
count. They  have  stated  meetings  for  religious 
exercises,  also  ;  two  pious  sergeants  are  among 
them.  These  two  were  at  first  the  only  soldiers 
that  attended  the  chapel,  but -two  or  three  at  a 
time  have  become  anxious  about  their  eternal  in- 
terests, and  there  are  now  more  than  a  dozen  al- 
tered characters  among  them,  some  of  whom  there 
is  every  reason  to  believe  are  savingly  converted. 
The  colored  people  also  flock  to  hear,  and  Mr. 
Bertram's  visits  among  the  sick  have  been  much 
blessed.  What  a  blossoming  in  this  moral  wil- 
derness !  '  It  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  wondrous 
in  our  eyes.'  " 


150  LIFE    AT    ST.   HELENA. 

The  good  work  of  grace  that  was  thus  begun  at 
James'  Town,  was  not  confined  to  that  narrow  val- 
ley. Other  portions  of  the  island  were  still  more 
in  need  of  the  missionary's  attentions.  The  pop- 
ulation is  considerably  dispersed,  and  many  of 
them  quite  remote  from  the  seat  of  government. 
Their  number  is  about  seven  thousand,  of  whom 
about  two  thousand  are  whites,  or  of  European 
origin  ;  of  these,  from  five  to  seven  hundred  are 
attached  to  the  army.  Something  like  one  thou- 
sand liberated  Africans,  brought  in  by  the  Brit- 
ish cruisers  from  captured  slave-ships,  who  have 
chosen  to  remain,  by  the  consent  of  the  governor, 
are  employed  as  hired  servants.  Slavery,  of 
course,  does  not  exist.  It  was  in  the  process  of 
extinction  before  the  passing  of  the  British  Eman- 
cipation Act,  by  which  every  slave  in  the  British 
Empire  obtained  his  freedom. 

In  addition,  there  arc  about  four  thousand  na- 
tives. These  are  the  descendants  of  the  first  set- 
tlers— Portuguese,  East  Indians,  Africans,  and 
British  soldiers — who  for  several  generations  have 
been  intermingled  in  almost  every  variety,  and 
formed  a  race  peculiar  to  the  island,  of  a  dark 
eopper-color.  These  were  all  in  a  state  of  bond- 
age formerly,  and  were  left,  alter  their  emancipa- 
tion, in  the  same  miserable  state  of  spiritual  ig- 
norance in  which  they  and  their  fathers  had  been 
Kept,  generation  after  generation.     In  some  cases 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  151 

the  African  blood  predominates  ;  but  in  other  in- 
stances, and  for  the  most  part,  they  have  long, 
glossy  black  hair,  like  the  American  Indians,  and 
expressive  features.  These  last  are  generally 
possessed  of  considerable  intelligence  and  shrewd- 
ness, and  are  capable  of  a  high  degree  of  cultiva- 
tion. 

Not  long  after  Mr.  Bertram's  arrival,  and  while 
he  was  breasting  the  waves  of  ecclesiastical  oppo- 
sition, he  was  waited  upon  by  Captain   Maple- 
ton,  the  principal  magistrate  of  the  island,  who 
gave  him  a  hearty  welcome,  and  said,  "  I  am  glad 
to   see  you  here    on    our  island,    Mr.    Bertram, 
preaching  the  -gospel  of  Christ.     If  any  part  of 
the  world  needs  the  gospel,  we  need  it  here.    But 
you  do  not  intend,  I  trust,  to  confine  your  labors 
to  the  town.     Come  over,  sir,  to  Sandy  Bay  Val- 
ley, where  I  live,  and  where  there  is  a  great  num- 
ber of  natives,  who  never  in  all  their  lives  heard  a 
gospel  sermon  in  their  valley.     Come  over,  and 
preach  to  those  poor  neglected  souls  ;  and  when 
you  come,  put  up  at  my  house.     My  lady  will  be 
glad  to  see  you,  and  will  make  you  as  comfortable 
as  possible.     I  am  not  a  religious  man  myself; 
but  I  truly  respect  religion,  and  know  that  I  ought 
to  possess'  it.     It  would  give  me  pleasure  to  see 
all  our  population  put  in  possession  of  its  bless- 

55 


ings 


A  call  so  earnest,  from  the  honored  lips  of  so 


152  LITE    AT    ST.  HELENA. 

■worthy  a  magistrate,  was  not  to  be  slighted.  Mr. 
Bertram  conferred  about  it  with  Mr.  Thomas 
Charlett,  a  respectable  merchant  in  James'  Town, 
and  one  of  the  first  fruits  of  his  ministry  in  St. 
Helena ;  and  he  said,  "  Yes,  Mr,  Bertram,  go  ; 
it  is  just  the  very  thing  that  should  be  done.  Go, 
and  I  will  go  with  you  ;  I  will  order  a  couple  of 
horses,  and  we  '11  ride  over  to  Sandy  Bay,  as  Cap- 
tain Mapleton  desires.  I  know  a  respectable  and 
worthy  couple  there,  William  Lambe  and  his  wife, 
who  live  on  the  produce  of  a  fine  garden,  about  in 
the  center  of  the  valley,  who  will  be  very  glad  to 
see  you.  I  think  that  they  will  let  you  have  the 
use  of  a  part  of  their  new  house  in  which  to  make 
a  commencement.*' 

It  was  the  morning  of  a  beautiful  day  in  sum- 
mer— December  or  January — when  Messrs.  Ber- 
tram and  Charlett  mounted  their  steeds,  and  set 
forth  on  their  benevolent  excursion  across  the 
island.  In  a  few  minutes  they  were  climbing  the 
Bteepa  of  Ladder  Hill,  on  the  right  of  the  town 
and  bay.  No  little  nerve  is  required  in  passing 
over  this  precipitous  road,  that  in  most  places  is 
cut  out  of  the  side  of  the  hill,  and  supported  on 
the  outer  Bide  by  almost  perpendicular  walls. 
About  half  way  up  the  hill,  the  zig-zag  path  is 
blasted  cut  of  the  rocks,  and  is  completely  over- 
hung by  large  masses  of  stone,  which  seem  to  be 
titute  of  a  sufficient  prop,  and  threaten   tho 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  153 

passer-by  with  an  instant  crash,  and  hopeless  de- 
struction. This  remarkable  and  fearful  pass  is 
called  "  Col.  Pearce's  Revenge." 

At  the  summit  of  the  hill,  a  sublime  prospect 
presents  itself  to  the  visitor.  The  mighty  ocean, 
stretching  far  away  to  the  north  and  west,  vast, 
boundless,  fathomless,  ever  in  motion,  ever  chang- 
ing, and  yet  ever  the  same,  lies  at  your  feet : 

"  Glorious  mirror  !  -where  the  Almighty's  form 
Glasses  itself  in  tempests  ;  in  all  time, 
Calm  or  convulsed — in  breeze,  or  gale,  or  storm, 
Dark-heaving;  boundless,  endless,  and  sublime, 
The  image  of  eternity — the  throne 
Of  the  Invisible." 

The  town,  at  the  base  of  the  hill,  and  the  gorge 
in  which  it  lies,  has  a  very  pretty,  neat,  and 
cheerful  appearance,  as  seen  from  the  summit. 
The  fortifications,  with  which  the  hill  is  crowned, 
are  admirably  constructed,  and  completely  com- 
mand the  anchorage  and  the  town. 

Leaving  Ladder  Hill,  the  road  winds  a  little 
east  of  south,  over  low  hills,  and  through  majestic 
prickly  pears,  dwarf  junipers,  and  scattered  for- 
ests of  firs  ;  among  which  may  be  seen  flocks  of 
sheep,  goats,  and  swine,  with  vast  numbers  of  do- 
mestic fowls  feeding  on  the  tender  herbage.  The 
surface  of  theintcrior  is  exceedingly  uneven.  The 
plains  are  few,  and  of  small  extent.  Hills  and 
mountainous  peaks  are  seen  on  every  hand,  some 


154  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

of  them  crowned  with  the  dark  and  dense  foliage 
of  the  redwood,  stringwood,  dogwood,  Australian 
willow,  and  the  cabbage-tree,  with  its  beautiful  and 
showy  white  blossoms,  as  large  as  the  cauliflower  ; 
while  their  sides  frequently  present  beautiful  slopes 
of  pasture,  and  patches  under  cultivation.  At  short 
intervals,  very  tasteful  cottages  and  country  seats 
appear,  embosomed  in  verdure,  and  surrounded 
with  gardens,  whose  flowers — among  which  the 
beautiful  white  bells  of  the  moon-plant  appear 
conspicuous — fill  the  atmosphere  with  their  deli- 
cious odors.  Occasionally  a  glimpse  is  caught, 
through  the  deep  gorges,  and  abrupt  ravines,  and 
precipitous  chasms  of  the  rocky  substratum,  of  tho 
surging  ocean  dashing  against  the  storm-lashed 
rocks,  and  stretching  far  away  to  the  dim  and  un- 
varied horizon.  The  hedges,  by  which  the  farm3 
are  bordered,  are  adorned  with  a  pleasing  variety 
of  wild  flowers,  while  the  fields  are  carpeted  with 
luxuriant  grass,  in  the  midst  of  which  the  most 
graceful  plaints  are  ever  blooming. 

Passing  over  a  depression  called  "  Half-Tree 
Hollow,"  the  road  leads  across  another  elevation, 
known  as  "Red  Hill,"  and  along  the  base  of 
"High  Knoll,"  which  rises  on  the  left  1,903 
feel  above  the  sea.  From  this  point,  the  central 
piirti'ins  <>f  the  island  are  seen  to  great  advantage. 
At  a  short  distance  on  the  left,  in  a  northeasterly 
direction,  romantically  situated  at  the  head  of  tho 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  155 

ravine,  on  -which  James'  Town  is  built,  is  the 
pretty  cottage,  called  "  the  Briars,"  where  Na- 
poleon took  up  his  temporary  abode,  the  day  after 
his  landing,  with  its  owner  and  occupant,  Mr. 
Balcombe,  and  remained,  secluded  from  observa- 
tion, until  the  premises  atLongwood,  in  the  north- 
eastern quarter  of  the  island,  were  put  in  order 
for  his  accommodation.  Here  he  dwelt  from  Oc- 
tober 17th  to  December  9th,  1815,  at  which  time 
he  removed  to  his  future  home.  The  grounds 
attached  to  the  cottage  are  about  ten  acres  in  ex- 
tent, and  are  laid  out  in  beautiful  walks  and  beds 
of  flowers,  giving  to  the  place  an  air  of  decided 
comfort  and  repose,  rendered  still  more  lovely  by 
contrast  with  the  arid  and  irregularly-precipitous 
rocks  of  the  ravine,  which  thence  finds  its  way  to 
James'  Town  and  the  ocean. 

To  the  right  of  High  Knoll,  and  of  the  Sandy 
Bay  Road,  stretches  off  toward  the  setting  sun, 
a  beautiful  slope  of  ground,  appropriated  to  the 
use  of  the  government.  Here  is  the  official  resi- 
dence of  his  Excellency,  the  Governor,  called 
"  Plantation  House."  It  is  a  most  delightful 
spot,  and  cultivated  with  the  greatest  care.  The 
grounds  are  laid  out  with  taste,  and  adorned  with 
every  variety  of  shrubbery.  Some  of  the  choicest 
shade  and  fruit-trees  of  Europe  are  seen  growing 
here,  side  by  side  with  the  stately  palm  of  India, 
and  other  trees  of  tropical  climes.     The  gardens 


156  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

abound  with  the  most  charming  flowers,  and  the 
house  is  surrounded  by  the  most  pleasing  walks 
and  drives.  It  was  the  only  place  which  the 
British  government  excepted  in  the  selection  of  a 
residence  for  their  imperial  prisoner. 

From  the  base  of  High  Knoll,  the  road  runs  a 
little  to  the  west  of  south,  and  then  southerly  to 
an  elevation  called  "  Sandy  Bay  Ridge,"  which 
overlooks  the  valley  of  Sandy  Bay  on  the  south. 
Far  away  to  the  east,  "Diana's  Peak"  lifts  its 
majestic  head  to  the  heavens,  and  attains  the 
height  of  2,700  feet,  overlooking,  in  its  peerless 
elevation,  every  other  point  on  the  island,  and 
commanding  an  uninterrupted  prospect  of  the 
boundless  ocean,  north,  cast,  south,  and  west. 
From  the  sides  of  this  mountain,  are  seen  oozing 
out,  in  numerous  places,  cooling  streams  of  the 
purest  and  sweetest  water,  spreading  fertility  over 
the  island,  and  refreshing,  not  only  the  residents, 
but  the  thousands  of  mariners  who  resort  hither 
for  supplies.  The  prospect,  by  moonlight,  from 
the  sides  of  the  mountain,  is  spoken  of  with  delight 
by  every  visitor.  So  clear  and  bright  is  the  light 
of  the  moon,  as  to  make  it  easy  to  read  the  small- 
est print.  All  along  the  base  of  the  mountain, 
in  the  valley,  grows  the  pure  white  Egyptian  lily, 
called  the  calla.  Seen  by  the  silvery  light  of  a 
South  Atlantic  moon,  these  callas  appear  like 
starry  spots  oo  the  verdant  plain;  and  the  behold- 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  157 

er  seems  to  stand  between  two  firmaments,  above 
and  below,  in  mid-heaven. 

In  passing  over  Sandy  Bay  Ridge,  whose  sum- 
mit rises  a  short  distance  from  the  road;  the  vis- 
itor leaves  on  the  right,  at  a  somewhat  greater 
distance,  toward  the  southwestern  extremity  of 
the  island,  another  elevated  point  called  "  High 
Peak,"  but  little  inferior  to  Diana's  Peak.  It  is 
the  termination  of  a  calcareous  ridge,  which 
stretches  across  the  island  from  east  to  west,  di- 
viding it  into  two  unequal  parts.  The  northern 
portion  is  much  the  largest,  and  the  most  valuable. 
It  embraces,  interspersed  with  curious  and  roman- 
tic knolls  and  hills,  besides  the  valley  of  James' 
Town  and  Plantation  House  already  described, 
the  Plain  of  Longwood,  Rupert's  Valley,  the 
crater-like  dell,  called  "The  Devil's  Punch-bowl," 
"  Lemon  Valley,"  and  other  interesting  spots, 
where  the  principal  residents  have  built  their  coun- 
try residences,  and  where  they  live  in  an  almost 
perpetual  summer,  or  rather  spring.  The  southern 
portion  of  the  island  is  much  less  extensive.  The 
range  of  hills,  which  border  it  on  the  north,  slope 
somewhat  abruptly  to  the  south,  and  overlook  a 
most  lovely  rolling  valley,  famed  for  its  coffee 
plantations,  extending  about  four  miles  from  east 
to  west,  and  about  two  miles  in  breadth,  to  the 
rock-bound  shore  of  the  Atlantic.  It  is  the  valley 
of  Sandy  Bay.     The  latter  is  the  only  spot  on  the 

14 


158  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

southern  shore,  from  which  the  interior  of  the 
island  can  be  reached.  It  was,  therefore,  put 
under  the  closest  scrutiny  by  the  government, 
during  the  confinement  of  Napoleon,  and  the  ap- 
proach guarded  by  frowning  batteries. 

The  descent  to  this  valley  is  not  easily  accom- 
plished. The  road  winds  around  the  sides  of  the 
precipitous  hills,  and  in  many  places  is  both  steep 
and  dangerous.  But  the  visitor  is  amply  compen- 
sated for  his  occasional  fears,  and  the  fatigue  of 
his  journey,  by  constant  developments  of  the  ever- 
changing  loveliness  of  the  scenery. 

At  the  hospitable  dwelling  of  Mr.  Lambe,  Mr. 
Bertram  and  his  companion  received  a  hearty 
welcome,  and  soon  obtained  the  consent  of  himself 
and  wife  to  the  proposition  for  holding  religious 
services  at  their  house.  They  had  recently  erect- 
ed a  new  edifice  for  their  own  use,  which  was  yet 
hardly  finished.  A  part  of  this  house,  it  was  ar- 
ranged, was  to  be  open  statedly  for  the  worship 
of  God,  and  the  accommodation  of  the  inhabitants 
of  that  section  of  the  island,  who  could  be  induced 
to  attend  upon  the  ministrations  of  the  word  of 
God.  The  house  was  built  on  a  rocky  elevation, 
at  the  left  of  a  singular  conical  mountain,  a  thou- 
sand feet  high,  called  "  Old  Lot,"  and  about  a 
mile  tn  the  east  of  another  group,  called  "Lot's 
Wife,  ami  her  Children."  Adjacent  to  the  house 
is   a  fine   garden,  where,  beneath    the   fig-trees, 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  159 

ptstofi -trees,  guava-trees,  and  majestic  bananas, 
or  plantains,  the  visitors  walked  or  reclined  in  tlio 
refreshing  shade,  and  partook  of  the  pleasant  and 
excellent  fruit. 

The  first  sermon  ever  preached  in  Sandy  Bay 
Valley,  was  delivered  by  Mr.  Bertram,  on  a 
Thursday  evening,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Lambe,  on 
the  occasion  of  the  visit  just  described.  From 
that  time  forward,  he  ordinarily  preached  at  Sandy 
3ay,  once  or  twice  every  week ;  generally  on 
Thursday  evening,  and  every  Sabbath  afternoon. 
Afterward,  when  Mr.  Janisch  began  to  preach, 
service  was  also  held  there  every  Sabbath  morn- 
ing. 

The  effort  thus  happily  begun,  was  attended  by 
the  Divine  favor,  and  followed  with  His  blessing. 
The  poor  neglected  population  of  this  remote  val- 
ley, for  Avhose  spiritual  welfare  none  had  cared, 
were  grateful  to  the  missionary  for  his  kind  ser- 
vices, and  flocked  to  hear  the  word  with  delight. 
Not  a  few  of  them  were  led  to  see  their  need  of  a 
Saviour,  and  to  cry  to  God  for  mercy. 

But  no  sooner  was  it  known  that  the  despised 
band  of  dissenters  were  beginning  to  spread  them- 
selves over  the  island,  and  to  carry  the  message 
of  salvation  to  its  farthest  shores,  than  the  stick- 
lers for  "  the  Church"  were  seized  with  alarm. 
All  at  once  they  made  the  discovery  that  there 
were  souls  to  be  cared  for  in  the  secluded  valleys 


1G0  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

of  St.  Helena.  At  the  entrance  of  Sandy  Bay 
Valley  is  a  school-room,  most  eligibly  located  for 
a  place  of  worship.  Mr.  Bertram  had  applied  to 
the  authorities  for  permission  to  use  it,  as  occa- 
sion offered,  for  the  worship  of  God,  but  had 
been  denied.  Very  soon,  however,  after  he  had 
begun  to  preach  at  Mr.  Lambe's  house,  one  of  the 
parochial  clergymen  made  arrangements  for  a 
stated  religious  service  at  this  very  school-room, 
and  at  the  very  hour  when  Mr.  Bertram  usually 
preached.  As  the  people,  in  their  simplicity,  pre- 
ferred to  go  where  they  could  learn  the  way  of 
salvation,  and  have  their  hearts  warmed  with  long- 
ing desires  after  God  and  heaven,  although  they 
were  warned  of  the  awful  danger  of  schism,  and 
told  to  beware  of  the  damning  sin  of  setting  up 
another  altar,  and  substituting  a  conventicle  for 
the  church  of  God,  the  liturgy  was  often  read  in 
the  hearing  of  a  very  small  and  uninterested  au- 
dience. Pains  were,  therefore,  taken  by  some  of 
the  adherents  of  "the  Church,"  to  station  indi- 
viduals "  in  the  ways,"  and  to  accost  the  natives, 
as  they  passed  along  to  Mr.  Lambe's  house,  with 
entreaties,  promises,  warning-,  and  threat?,  to  in- 
duce them  to  forsake  the  Bchismatical  preacher,  and 
show  themselves  good  Christians  and  churchmen, 
by  joining  with  the  congregation  at  the  school- 
room. This  course  of  conduct,  so  intolerant  and 
sectarian,  so  worthy  of  scorn  and  reprobation  by 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  161 

every  true  follower  of  Christ,  was  applauded  by 
the  Church  party  and  their  priests,  as  evidence 
of  the  piety  and  zeal  of  their  bigoted  adherents. 

To  carry  forward  this  opposition,  required  more 
exertion  than  the  two  chaplains,  so  long  used  to 
the  easy,  quiet  way  of  their  class,  were  willing 
to  put  forth.  An  assistant  was  needed.  Word 
must  be  sent  to  England  that  the  Church  is  in 
danger,  and  another  full-fledged  Tractario.n  cler- 
gyman must  be  sent  out,  not  only  to  preach  on 
the  Sabbath  to  the  natives,  but  to  lecture  during 
the  week,  to  keep  a  school  for  instruction  in  the 
higher  branches  of  learning,  and  to  visit  the  poor. 
Public  meetings  were  called,  and  a  sufficient  sal- 
ary readily  subscribed  by  the  officials,  and  the 
zealous  churchmen  of  the  town. 

Several  months  passed,  and  the  long-expected 
Oxonian  arrived.  Great  was  the  expectation, 
and  loud  the  exultation,  of  the  party  in  power,  at 
the  success  of  their  application.  This  new  suc- 
cessor of  the  apostles,  or  rather,  candidate  for  the 
succession,  was  quite  a  curious  specimen  of  cler- 
ical sufficiency.  Dressed  according  to  the  latest 
Oxford  fashion,  in  the  cut  of  the  ecclesiologistical 
school,  he  stepped  on  shore,  and  very  condescend- 
ingly suffered  himself  to  be  escorted  by  some  of 
the  residents  to  the  lodgings  that  awaited  him  in 
his  new  home.  Whether  short-sighted  in  real- 
ity, as  his  frequent  use  of  an  eye-glass  would  indi- 


162  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

cate,  or  not,  he  certainly  proved  himself  exceed- 
ingly short-sighted  in  leaving  the  academical 
shades  of  old  Oxford  for  the  tropical  sky  of  James' 
Town. 

It  was  soon  found,  that  he  had  no  more  dispo- 
sition than  his  two  elder  brethren  in  the  priest- 
hood, to  make  himself  one  of  the  people,  to  go 
out  into  the  highways  and  hedges,  the  lanes  and 
alleys,  and  gather  in  guests  for  the  gospel-supper, 
to  instruct  the  young  in  useful  knowledge,  or  to 
preach  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord.  He 
could  read  the  liturgy  with  a  grace,  and  pro- 
nounce "a  beautiful,  pious  sermon"  of  some  fif- 
teen or  twenty  minutes'  length  ;  he  knew  all  the 
attitudes  and  gestures,  and  could  display  a  jew- 
eled finger,  and  a  lily-white  hand  to  admiration, 
but  nothing  further  in  the  way  of  winning  souls. 
The  subscribers  to  the  salary,  and  the  petition- 
ers to  "  my  Lord"  of  London,  were  alike  morti- 
fied. They  had  evidently  "  paid  too  dear  for  the 
whistle."  A  brief  period  sufficed  to  convince  this 
scion  of  Oxford  that  he  was  out  of  his  place,  and 
to  determine  him  to  leave  St.  Helena  to  her  own 
fate.  Great  was  .the  relief  to  the  instigators  of 
the  Quixotic  undertaking,  when  their  hero  bade 
farewell  to  kl  the  Rock  of  the  Ocean,"  and  re- 
turned the  way  that  he  came,  to  expatiate  in  a 
wider  field,  and  in  more  hopeful  circles  of  so- 
ciety. 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HJLivENA.  163 

These  anti-evangelical  movements  were  not  en- 
tirely without  their  designed  effect.  Some,  who 
at  first  came  to  hear  Mr.  Bertram,  and  appeared 
to  be  interested  in  his  preaching,  withdrew  from 
his  meetings.  Some  were  intimidated  by  threats 
of  being  discarded  from  service,  and  others  were 
flattered  with  the  attentions  of  those  to  whom 
they  had  been  wont  to  look  up  as  to  beings  of  a 
superior  order.  The  minds  of  some  were  stag- 
gered for  a  time,  and  they  knew  not  what  to  be- 
lieve. 

But  this  state  of  uncertainty  did  not  long  con- 
tinue.    Prayer,  unceasing,  was  offered  to   God  ; 
and,  in  season  and  out  of  season,  Mr.  Bertram  and 
his  brethren  labored  to  pour  the  light  of  eternal 
truth  into  the  darkened  understandings  of  these 
perishing  islanders.     Their  prayers  were  heard  ; 
their  labors  were  not  in  vain.     The  word  of  God 
took  effect.     One  and  another  began  to  weep  for 
sin,  and  to  cry,  "  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved'?" 
The  showers  of  divine  grace  began  to  descend. 
The  well-watered  ssed  began  to  spring  up,  and 
bear  fruit  to  the  glory  of  God.     The  gracious  in- 
fluences were  diffused  throughout  the  valley ;  un- 
til scarcely  a  house  could  be  found,  in  that  part 
of  the  island,  in  which  there  was  not  some  one 
soul  rejoicing  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God  ;  while 
in  some  habitations,  two,  three,  and  even  more 
were  raising  their  songs  together  in  praise  of  re- 


164  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

deeming  love.  Many  of  these  were  wonderful 
trophies  of  grace.  From  among  the  most  unprom- 
ising and  hopeless  hearers  of  the  word,  it  pleased 
God  to  select  the  subjects  of  His  saving  love. 
"  The  publicans  and  the  harlots"  believed,  when 
the  proud  and  self-righteous  Pharisee  rejected  the 
humbling  doctrines  of  the  lowly  Jesus.  And  so  it 
was  at  Sandy  Bay. 

During  the  progress  of  this  work  of  grace,  in 
the  early  part  of  1848,  the  island  was  visited  by 
the  Rev.  Jonathan  Wade  and  his  wife,  mission- 
aries of  the  "  American  Baptist  Board  for  For- 
eign Missions,"  who  had  been  laboring,  since  De- 
cember, 1823,  in  connection  with  the  now  sainted 
Judson,  in  Burmah.  Their  stay  was  prolonged, 
by  the  will  of  God,  for  the  space  of  three  months. 
Mr.  Wade  very  gladly  entered  with  Mr.  Bertram 
into  the  delightful  service  of  directing  the  awaken- 
ed sinner  to  the  Lamb  of  God  ;  and  greatly  was 
his  kind  assistance  prized.  "  We  witnessed,"  he 
says,  "  the  first  baptisms  administered  there.  A 
church  was  established,  and  sixty  believers  were 
added  to  it  during  the  three  months  of  our  stay 
with  them." 

The  faithfulness  of  these  converts  has  been 
fairly  tested.  Few,  if  any,  have  gone  back  to  the 
world,  or  brought  reproach  upon  the  cause  of 
Christ.  Their  zeal  for  the  worship  of  God  is 
worthy  of  all  praise  and  imitation.     Nothing  but 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  165 

the  hand  of  God  can  keep  them  from  the  place  of 
prayer.  In  all  weathers,  by  day  and  by  night, 
when  the  bright  moon  sheds  her  clear  light  on 
their  path,  or  when  the  earth,  in  her  absence,  is 
shrouded  in  darkness,  they  will  thread  their  way 
through  the  deep  gorges,  and  along  the  shelving 
paths  of  the  beetling  cliffs,  where  a  foreigner 
would  not  dare  to  trust  his  foot,  or  even  a  do- 
mesticated goat  venture  to  climb,  and  reach  the 
place  where  the  word  of  God  is  to  be  preached,  in 
season  to  unite  in  the  opening  exercises  of  public 
worship. 

The  success,  which  crowned  this  first  attempt 
to  extend  the  dissenting  interest  beyond  the  im- 
mediate neighborhood  of  James'  Town,  prompted 
Mr.  Bertram  and  his  brethren  to  find  other 
places  for  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  "  Fran- 
cis Plain,"  lies  but  a  short  distance  south  of 
"  The  Briars,"  having  "  Halley's  Mount"  on  the 
northeast,  "  Alarm-house  Mount,"  on  the  south- 
east, and  "  High  Knoll"  on  the  west.  It  occupies 
nearly  the  exact  center  of  the  island,  and  is  sur- 
rounded by  noble  scenery.  A  station  was  com- 
menced at  this  point,  not  long  after  the  one  at 
Sandy  Bay  was  established.  Here,  too,  the  word 
took  effect.  A  worthy  matron,  residing  at  "  Rose 
Bower,"  in  the  neighborhood  of  Francis  Plain,  to- 
ward the  northeast,  with  her  lovely  family,  fre- 
quently attended  on  Mr.  Bertram's  preaching ; 


166  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

and  the  eldest  two  of  her  daughters  were  soon 
brought  to  trust  in  Jesus  Christ  for  salvation  and 
eternal  life. 

But  it  soon  became  evident  that  Mr.  Bertram 
was  not  wanted  at  Francis  Plain.  The  door  was 
closed  against  him  and  his  brethren  ;  not,  how- 
ever, until  "  a  great  door  and  effectual"  had  been 
opened  for  him  at  Rose  Bower,  by  Him  who 
"openeth  and  no  man  shutteth."  At  this  station, 
a  regular  service  was  speedily  established,  and 
every  Lord's  Day  the  word  of  God  has  since  been 
proclaimed.  God  has  owned  His  people,  heard 
their  prayers,  and  poured  out  His  Spirit.  A 
mixed  congregation  of  whites  and  native  island- 
ers, not  large  at  the  commencement,  as  the  popu- 
lation was  limited,  but  constantly  increasing,  have 
continued  to  assemble  here  for  instruction  in  holy 
things  ;  and  a  goodly  number  of  them  have  turned 
to  the  Lord. 

Attempts  had  been  made  by  Mr.  Bertram,  pre- 
vious to  this  last  arrangement,  to  establish  preach- 
ing stations  both  at  Longwood,  the  residence  of 
Napoleon,  and  Sane  Valley,  the  place  of  his  buri- 
ial ;  but  not  meeting  with  sufficient  encourage- 
ment, Rose  Bower  was  fixed  upon,  as  being  near- 
ly central  to  Francis  Plain,  and  these  two  local- 
ities ;  and  as  affording  sufficient  facilities  for  all 
in  this  part  of  the  island  who  desired  to  attend. 

Sane  Valley  is  about  three  and   a  half  miles 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  167 

from  James'  Valley,  and  was  selected  by  Napo- 
leon himself  as  the  place  for  his  sepulchre.  It  is 
a  quiet  and  romantic  dell,  at  some  little  distance 
from  the  road,  approached  by  a  circuitous  and 
somewhat  precipitous  path,  overhung  by  yews, 
cedars,  and  weeping  willows.  A  well  of  pure  and 
delicious  water  springs  up  about  ten  or  fifteen 
yards  from  the  tomb,  where  the  Chinese  domestics 
of  the  Emperor  were  wont  to  fill  their  silver  pitch- 
ers, which  they  carried  to  Longwood  for  the  use  of 
their  master.  It  is  said  to  be  the  best  water  on 
the  island.  Hither,  also,  Napoleon  frequently 
resorted  for  recreation  and  repose — sometimes 
alone,  and  at  other  times  with  Madame  Bertrand 
for  his  companion.  "  Here,"  he  had  said,  "  if  I 
die  on  this  island,  I  wish  to  be  buried."  And 
here  his  mortal  remains  were  deposited,  with  mil- 
itary honors,  on  the  8th  of  May,  1821,  in  a  plain 
vault,  about  eight  feet  in  length,  three  in  breadth, 
and  seven  in  depth.  The  tomb  is  inclosed  by  a 
plain  iron  railing,  about  ten  feet  square,  and  over- 
hung by  a  willow-tree,  now  almost  leafless  and 
branchless,  by  reason  of  the  Vandal  ravages  of 
visitors,  who  have  borne  it  away  piece-meal  as 
memorials  of  the  illustrious  exile.  A  few  small 
cedars  are  planted  around  it. 

In  this  beautiful  and  secluded  retirement,  the 
body  of  the  Emperor  was  suffered  to  repose  until 
the  15th  of  October,  1840,  exactly  twenty-five 


168  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

years  from  the  day  that  he  arrived  at  St.  Helena  ; 
when,  by  arrangement  between  the  French  and 
British  governments,  it  was  exhumed,  with  much 
parade,  under  the  direction  of  the  Prince  de  Join- 
ville,  and  placed  on  board  of  the  Belle  Poule 
frigate,  to  be  conveyed  to  France.  It  was  found 
in  a  state  of  excellent  preservation,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  admirable  manner  in  which  it  had 
been  embalmed  by  the  French  physicians.  It 
now  reposes  under  the  dome  of  the  magnificent 
"  Hotel  des  Invalides,"  at  Paris,  where  it  was  de- 
posited with  immense  pomp  and  ceremony,  on  the 
15th  of  December,  1810,  in  a  marble  tomb,  that 
has  already  cost  the  French  nation  more  than  six 
millions  of  francs. 

A  poor  widow,  Mrs.  Torbet,  occupies  a  cottage 
about  thirty  yards  from  the  tomb,  who  rents  the 
grounds  from  the  government,  and  collects  from 
the  visitors  the  sum  of  one  dollar,  for  which  she 
also  furnishes  refreshments  to  such  as  wish  them. 
A  superannuated  British  sergeant,  also,  lives  near, 
who  has  had  the  charge  of  the  tomb  ever  since  it 
received  the  imperial  remains,  to  whom  it  is  cus- 
tomary also  to  give  a  shilling  for  the  information 
which  he  prides  himself  in  giving  with  the  great- 
est accuracy. 

Longwood  is  but  a  short  distance  beyond  Sane 
Valley,  but  cannot  be  reached  in  a  direct  route. 
It  is  approached  by  a  good  road,  some  two  miles 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  169 

in  length,  nearly  level,  running  along  the  top  of  a 
barren  ridge,  Rupert's  Valley  being  in  full  view 
on  the  left,  and  the  beautiful  valley  leading  to  Lev- 
elwood  on  the  right.  On  either  hand,  deep  and 
inaccessible  gullies  arc  passed,  to  which  have  been 
given  such  names  as  the  "  Devil's  Gorge,"  etc. 
Longwood  is  the  largest  plain  on  the  island,  com- 
prising, inclusive  of  Deadwood,  about  fifteen  hund- 
red acres  of  fertile  land,  sloping  toward  the  south- 
west. The  name  was  given  on  account  of  the  ex- 
tent of  wood  formerly  found  here.  The  house, 
originally  the  residence  of  the  lieutenant-governor, 
is  elevated  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty- 
two  feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  the  highest  table- 
land on  the  island,  and,  in  consequence,  is  less 
subject  to  heat  than  almost  any  other  residence, 
enjoying  a  pure  air  and  bracing  atmosphere,  as 
well  as  an  extensive  prospect.  The  grounds  are 
adorned  with  dense  patches  of  shrubbery,  and  the 
herbage  has  a  peculiarly  fresh  and  verdant  ap- 
pearance, by  reason  of  its  exposure  to  the  bairny 
and  grateful  sea-breezes.  The  house  is  sur- 
rounded with  tasteful  pleasure-grounds,  and  has 
on  the  northeast  a  spacious  common,  covered  with 
a  rich  carpet  of  the  finest  wire-grass,  and  pleas- 
antly shaded,  at  appropriate  distances,  with  the 
luxuriant  gum-tree.  It  is  approached  from  the 
road  through  an  avenue  of  pine  and  gum-trees, 
the  branches  of  which  are  hung  with  a  drooping 

15 


170  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

moss.  The  plain  is  bounded  on  the  east  and 
■west  by  conical  hills,  giving  a  pleasing  and  ro- 
mantic character  to  the  scenery.  "  Flag-staff 
Hill,"  which  overlooks  the  plain  on  the  west,  at- 
tains an  elevation  of  twenty-two  hundred  and 
seventy-two  feet  above  the  sea.  The  grounds  ex- 
tend on  the  northeast  to  the  rocky  barrier  against 
which  the  ocean-waves  are  for  ever  breaking.  The 
place  is  entirely  secluded  from  the  other  portions 
of  the  island,  and  afforded  the  Emperor  abundant 
opportunities  of  walking,  or  riding  on  horseback 
or  in  his  carriage,  over  a  space  of  twelve  miles 
in  circuit,  unattended  and  uninterrupted.  Beyond 
these  bounds  he  could  also  go  at  pleasure,  under 
the  escort  of  a  British  officer.  Every  indulgence 
was  granted  him  compatible  with  the  entire  se- 
curity of  his  person. 

The  house  itself,  though  by  no  means  hand- 
some, or  having  any  pretensions  to  architectural 
beauty — a  low,  one-story  building,  in  the  form  of 
an  L — had  been  fitted  up  with  all  the  conveniences 
of  which  it  was  capable,  and  was  well  suited  to  a 
gentleman  of  rank  living  in  retirement.  In  the 
year  1810,  the  materials  and  furniture  for  a  new 
house  were  sent  at  great  expense  from  England, 
but,  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  ascertaining  from 
Napoleon  how  he  would  have  the  materials  used, 
much  delay  occurred  in  the  erection ;  so  that,  ere 
it  was  finished,  he  was  too  unwell  to  be  removed 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  171 

to  it.  It  was  built  of  yellow  sand-stone,  one  story 
in  height,  contains  a  handsome  suite  of  rooms,  and 
is  some  hundred  yards  to  the  northwest  from  the 
old  house,  compared  with  which  it  is  quite  a  pal- 
ace. The  Emperor's  residence  and  grounds  are 
now  held  by  Captain  Mason,  a  retired  army  offi- 
cer, who  rents  the  place  from  the  government,  and 
exacts  half  a  dollar,  or  two  shillings  sterling,  from 
every  visitor.  ,  The  house  is  now  but  little  better 
than  a  barn,  with  broken  glass,  and  disfigured 
walls,  unoccupied  except  by  fowls,  and  as  a  sta- 
ble in  one  portion  of  it.  It  seems  to  have  under- 
gone no  repairs  for  thirty  years.  The  new  build- 
ing is  occupied  by  some  one  or  more  of  the  British 
officers,  to  whom  is  committed  the  charge  of  the 
magnetic  observatory,  the  instruments  being  erect- 
ed in  a  detached  building. 

The  population  of  this  portion  of  the  island,  it 
will  thus  be  seen,  is  very  limited,  and  furnishes 
but  little  inducement  for  the  establishment  of  a 
preaching  station  in  the  neighborhood.  The  few 
families  at  Longwood  and  Sane  Valley  can  all 
very  easily  attend,  if  they  will,  upon  the  services 
at  Rose  Bower. 

Thus,  in  the  good  providence  of  God,  Mr.  Ber- 
tram was  furnished  with  great  opportunities  for 
usefulness  at  St.  Helena.  Three  preaching  sta- 
tions had  been  established,  and  a  church  gath- 
ered, to  which  constant  accessions  were  made  from 


172  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

month  to  month.  The  work  grew  upon  his  hands, 
and  demanded  more  time  and  strength  than  he 
could  possibly  devote  to  it.  Once  or  twice  he  was 
brought  low  by  severe  illness.  When  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Jamieson,  a  missionary  of  the  Presbyterian 
Board,  stopped  at  the  island  in  the  summer  of 
1846,  on  his  way  from  India,  he  found  Mr.  Ber- 
tram suffering  from  a  severe  affection  of  the 
throat,  which  prevented  his  preaching  for  some 
considerable  time.  To  the  eminent  skill,  and  as- 
siduous attentions  of  his  excellent  physician,  John 
Stewart,  M.D.,  he  was  placed  under  'great  obli- 
gations, during  his  illness  and  recovery.  The  im- 
paired state  of  his  health  compelled  him  to  seek  a 
residence  in  the  country.  A  snug  cottage  was 
found  at  Sandy  Bay,  near  Mr.  Lambe's  house, 
which  he  has  since  occupied  at  least  a  portion  of 
the  year. 

During  his  illness,  his  place  was  in  part  supplied 
by  his  young  friend,  Hudson  R.  Janisch,  whose 
profiting  had  appeared  to  all.  The  superior  tal- 
ents and  education  of  Mr.  Janisch  so  manifestly 
fitted  him,  together  with  his  ardent  piety,  to  be  a 
helper  to  Mr.  Bertram  in  the  ministry,  that,  a  In  r 
a  season  of  preparatory  study,  he  was  ordained, 
A] nil  2d,  1848,  to  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  on 
the  occasion  of  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Wade's  visit 
to  the  island,  lie  has  proved  himself  a  w<  rthy 
coadjutor  of  his  spiritual  father,  and  been  of  the 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  173 

utmost  service  to  the  church  in  many  respects. 
God  has  owned  his  labors  ;  and,  by  means  of  his 
preaching,  not  a  few  have  turned  to  the  Lord. 

Two  of  the  brethren,  James  Elliott,  one  of  the 
few  who  had  been  converted  previous  to  Mr.  Ber- 
tram's arrival,  and  Thomas  Charlett,  were  elected 
and  ordained  to  the  office  of  the  eldership,  both 
of  whom  have  proved  themselves  faithful  and 
valiant  soldiers  of  the  Cross.  The  former,  hav- 
ing exhihited  a  good  degree  of  talent  in  the  exer- 
cise of  his  spiritual  gifts,  was  licensed  to  preach 
and  exhort  in  public  worship.  At  the  close  of 
1849,  more  than  one  hundred  souls  had  been 
hopefully  converted,  and  added  to  the  Church. 
Two  other  brethren,  George  F.  Milne  and  Thomas 
Dick,  have  been  licensed  to  give  a  word  of  exhorta- 
tion among  the  people. 

Schools,  also,  have  been  established  under  the 
influence  and  by  the  enterprise  of  this  humble 
body  of  dissenting  Christians,  which  are  accom- 
plishing much  good.  They  have  Sunday  schools, 
containing  about  two  hundred  scholars,  at  James' 
Town,  Sandy  Bay,  Half-Tree  Hollow,  and  Level- 
wood.  Day  schools  also  have  been  opened  in 
the  town  and  at  Sandy  Bay,  in  which  from  eighty 
to  one  hundred  children  are  taught. 

The  poor  natives,  as  well  as  the  imported  Afri- 
cans, for  whom  almost  nothing  had  ever  before 
been  done,  in  the  matter  of  preparing  them  for 


174  LIKE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

death  and  the  judgment,  have  many  of  them  been 
brought  under  the  influence  of  these  schools,  and 
the  preaching  of  the  word,  by  which  some  of  them 
have  been-  led  to  Christ.  Much  praise  is  due 
also  to  the  benevolent  Mr.  Thompson,  (whose 
school-room  was  obtained  for  Mr.  Bertram  soon 
after  his  arrival,)  for  his  humanity  to  the  Africans 
of  St.  Helena.  For  several  years  he  has  sought 
to  give  them  the  advantages  of  education,  and 
taught  many  of  them  by  night  in  a  school  that  he 
opened  for  the  purpose.  The  blessings  of  the 
poor  African  will  long  rest  upon  him  for  these 
labors  of  love. 

The  condition  of  these  Africans  is  fitted  to 
awaken  in  their  behalf  the  deepest  sympathy  and 
commiseration.  They  have,  the  greater  part  of 
them,  been  rescued  from  slavers,  on  the  coast  of 
Africa,  or  on  the  middle  passage,  and  brought 
into  St.  Helena  by  the  British  armed  cruisers. 
About  a  mile  to  the  cast  of  James'  Valley,  and 
parallel  with  it,  is  a  similar  ravine,  or  gorge,  of 
about  the  same  width,  extending  some  two  or 
three  miles  into  the  interior,  called  "  Rupert's 
Valley."  It  has  been  appropriated  by  the  gov- 
ernment to  the  use  of  the  liberated  Africans,  who 
arc  brought  to  the  island  in  these  slave  ships. 
As  soon,  of  course,  as  they  touch  the  soil  of  the 
island,  tiny  are  free. 

It  is  an  awfully  horrid  sight  to  witness  the  un- 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  175 

lading  of  one  of  these  slave-ships.  When  brought 
out  from  between  decks,  where  they  have  been 
packed  together,  men,  women,  and  children,  in  a 
state  of  almost  entire  nudity,  in  the  midst  of  their 
own  filth,  destitute  of  air,  and  almost  suifocated 
with  the  terrible  stench,  they  are  scarcely  able, 
in  many  cases,  to  crawl,  much  less  to  stand ;  so 
emaciated  and  enfeebled  have  they  become,  in 
consequence  of  the  dreadful  fevers  and  other  dis- 
eases to  which  their  confinement  and  treatment 
have  subjected  them.  When  brought  on  shore, 
they  are  laid  out  on  the  ground  in  rows,  crying, 
as  well  as  their  strength  will  permit,  in  the  most 
doleful  accents,  "  Vavaf  vava!"  Water  !  wa- 
ter ! 

Hundreds  and  thousands  of  them  perish,  not- 
withstanding all  the  care  that  is  taken  of  them 
after  they  land.  The  whole  valley  has  in  conse- 
quence become  a  "  valley  of  dry  bones."  The 
sick  are  placed  in  hospitals,  built  on  an  elevated 
ridge  overlooking  the  valley  on  the  east,  and  have 
medical  attendance  ;  the  naked  are  clothed,  and 
the  hungry  fed.  In  the  course  of  about  six  weeks 
those  of  them  that  survive  the  inhuman  treatment 
of  the  slavers,  and  the  infernal  horrors  of  the  mid- 
dle passage,  are  sent  over  to  the  West  India 
islands,  to  find  employment.  Some  of  them  re- 
main on  the  island,  when  there  is  a  demand  for 
labor.     To  send  them  back  to  Africa  again,  would 


176  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

be  to  subject  them  once  more  to   capture   and 
slavery. 

If  any  apologist  for  slavery  could  see  what  Mr. 
Bertram  has  seen  in  Rupert's  Valley,  and  what 
may  be  seen  there  month  after  month,  and  year 
after  year,  and  still  continue  to  uphold  a  system 
conceived  in  the  very  depths  of  iniquity,  fraught 
with  all  the  evils  that  can  be  heaped  upon  poor 
down-trodden    humanity,    and    sustained    by   the 
most  diabolical  cruelty,  he  must  have  a  heart  lost 
to  all  sense  of  justice,  of  pity,  and  of  humanity. 
It  is  the  most  horrid  system  ever  devised  by  men 
or  devils  for  the  eradication  of  God's  image  from 
man,  and   the  conversion  of  human   beings   into 
brutes,  on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other,  fiends 
incarnate.       "  How   long,   O   Lord  !    how  long," 
si) all  the  accursed  traffic  be  supported  by  the  tol- 
eration of  the  system  in  Christian  lands'?     How 
long  shall  Ethiopia  stretch  out  her  hands  to  God, 
and    cry  for   pity   and   compassion?     Speed,  oh, 
speed  the  day,  when  the  shackles  shall  fall  from 
the  last  slave  on  earth,  and  the  day  of  universal 
freedom  shall  shed  its  blissful  light  on  every  hab- 
itation of  man  ! 

Previous  to  August  1st,  1834,  when  the  British 
Emancipation  Act,  by  which  every  slaw  in  the 
empire  was  declared  free,  went  into  force,  slavery 
existed  on  the  island  in  a,  mild  form.  During  the 
administration  of  Sir  Hudson  Lowe,  and  while 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  177 

Napoleon  was  on  the  island,  a  regulation  was  vol- 
untarily adopted  by  the  citizens,  at  a  public  meet- 
ing, held  August  13th,  1818,  by  which  it  was 
provided,  that  all  children  born  of  a  slave  mother, 
from  and  after  the  next  Christmas,  should  be 
free ;  the  boys  to  be  apprenticed  to  the  proprietors 
of  the  parent  until  eighteen,  and  the  girls  until 
sixteen  years  of  age.  Through  the  benevolent 
exertions,  principally,  of  Mr.  Bertram  and  his 
associates,  these  freed  men  and  their  families, 
who  constitute  the  native  population  already  de- 
scribed, are  gaining  instruction  in  matters  pertain- 
ing to  their  moral  and  religious  duties,  and  making 
creditable  advances  in  the  various  pursuits  of  in- 
dustry, by  which  they  are  rapidly  rising  to  their 
proper  rank  in  societ}\ 

Reference  has  already  been  made,  on  a  previous 
page,  to  the  work  of  grace  which,  shortly  after 
the  commencement  of  this  mission  at  James' 
Town,  prevailed  among  the  soldiers  of  the  gar- 
rison. Not  a  few  of  these  hardy,  and,  too  often, 
profane  and  dissolute,  sons  of  war  were  brought, 
from  year  to  year,  to  enlist  under  the  banner  of 
the  great  "  Captain  of  their  Salvation  ;"  and  be- 
come each  of  them  "  a  good  soldier  of  Jesus 
Christ." 

Shortly  after  the  opening  of  the  mission-house, 
a  theatre  was  attempted  in  the  barracks,  directly 
across  the  street,  and  opened  on  the  same  even- 


178  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

ings  of  the  "week  on  which  the  dissenting  chapel 
was  opened.  The  attention  of  the  soldiers  was 
thus  diverted  or  distracted  from  the  preaching  of 
the  word.  Of  course,  every  inducement  was  held 
out,  to  draw  a  full  audience,  to  witness  the  stage- 
playing,  hoth  from  the  garrison  and  the  town. 
The  introduction  of  a  species  of  amusement  which 
has  ever  proved  a  fruitful  means  or  occasion  of 
dissipation  and  uncleanness,  as  well  as  an  effectual 
source  of  hardness  of  heart,  and  blindness  of 
mind,  was  a  great  grief  to  the  little  band  of  breth- 
ren, who  were  laboring  for  the  salvation  of  the 
souls  of  their  fellow-sinners.  It  was  regarded  as 
one  of  the  greatest  obstacles  to  the  success  of 
their  heavenly  work. 

But  though  "troubled  on  every  side,"  they 
were  "  not  distressed — perplexed,  but  not  in  de- 
spair." They  knew  that  the  cause  was  God's, 
ami  must  prevail.  "  Prayer,"  therefore,  u  was 
made  without  ceasing  of  the  church  unto  God," 
that  this  hindrance  might  be  removed.  Month 
after  month  they  prayed,  until  "  the  Lord  heark- 
ened and  heard."  The  hearts  of  God's  people 
were  at  length  gladdened  by  the  sight  of  Sergeant 
Noble  among  the  penitents,  crying  for  mercy  and 
confessing  his  sins.  Soon  after  Sergeant  Wright 
also  was  seen  bowing  his  head  like  a  bulrush  be- 
fore the  gales  of  grace  from  the  heavenly  world. 
They  had  both  been  among  the  foremost  in  the 


LIFE    AT    ST.  HELENA.  179 

support  and  management  of  the  theatre,  as  well 
as  in  their  opposition  to  religion.  But  now  they 
became  illustrious  trophies  of  redeeming  love,  and 
gave  themselves  with  all  their  hearts  to  the  ser- 
vice of  Christ.  The  operations  of  the  theatre 
were  suspended,  and  the  gospel  triumphed  glori- 
ously. At  a  subsequent  period  the  theatre  was 
again  opened — but  it  pleased  God  once  more  to 
stretch  out  His  hand,  and  bring  their  stage-man- 
ager, Cluney,  of  the  army,  to  bow  at  the  feet  of 
Jesus.  Such  manifestations  of  the  power  of  the 
gospel,  not  only  encouraged  the  hearts  of  Mr. 
Bertram  and  his  brethren  to  pray  and  labor  in 
hope,  but  carried  conviction  also  to  the  minds  of 
the  careless  and  the  profane,  of  whom  not  a  few- 
were  brought  to  hear  and  believe. 

It  was  not,  however,  without  many  and  severe 
trials  arising  from  domestic  bereavement,  (the 
death  of  his  youngest  son,  August  22,  1848,)  and 
pecuniary  embarrassments,  that  Mr.  Bertram  was 
enabled  to  prosecute  his  benevolent  and  useful 
plans.  A  very  heavy  burden  was  devolved  upon 
the  humble  brethren,  who  had  clustered  about 
him,  in  the  purchase  of  their  mission-house,  the 
payment  of  the  annual  interest  on  the  mortgage 
with  which  the  property  was  incumbered,  and  the 
support  of  their  pastor  and  his  family.  They 
were  not,  as  has  been  seen,  of  the  wealthier  class- 
es, and  but  few  of  them  able  to  advance  much  on 


180  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

the  necessary  expenses  of  their  households.  Yet 
■what  they  could  do,  they  did  freely  and  gladly. 
Their  pastor  could  truly  say  of  them,  as  Paul 
said  of  the  Corinthians,  that  "  the  abundance  of 
their  joy  and  their  deep  poverty  (in  some  cases,) 
abounded  unto  the  riches  of  their  liberality.  For 
to  their  power  I  bear  record,  yea,  and  beyond 
their  power,  they  were  willing  of  themselves, 
praying  us  with  much  entreaty  that  we  would  re- 
ceive the  gift." 

It  will  be  borne  in  mind,  that,  when  the  agree- 
ment was  made  in  August,  1845,  for  the  mission 
premises,  it  became  necessary  to  wait  for  the  rat- 
ification of  the  contract  by  the  owner,  who  resided 
in  the  East  Indies.  Several  months  elapsed  be- 
fore an  answer  could  be  received.  The  state  of 
the  treasury  of  the  infant  enterprise,  when  at 
length  the  arrangement  was  completed,  may  be 
seen  from  the  following  letter,  written  by  a  mem- 
ber of  the  congregation,  in  the  early  part  of  June, 
1846,  to  a  friend  in  Cape  Town,  which  appeared 
,  in  the  columns  of  the  Cape  Magazine  for  August, 
L846 : 

"  You  arc  aware  that  a  house  and  premises 
have  been  hired  for  the  chapel.  The  situation  is, 
I  think,  decidedly  the  most  eligible  the  town  af- 
fords; the  lower  part  of  the  house  was  thrown 
into  one.  It  is  a.  commodious  place  of  worship, 
sufficiently  large  for  the  congregation  usually  as- 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  181 

sembling  there.  The  mission-box,  monthly  col- 
lections, and  subscriptions  of  some  few  individuals, 
pay  the  current  expenses,  and  afford  Mr.  Bertram 
£150  per  annum,  a  small  and  straitened  income 
in  this  expensive  place.  His  hearers  consist  al- 
most wholly  of  the  very  poor ;  so  that  it  seems 
wonderful  that  even  this  much  is  effected.  But 
no  surplus  remains  when  the  necessary  and  cur- 
rent expenses  are  paid.  When  the  preparation, 
or  building,  of  a  mission  house  was  first  proposed, 
persons  put  down  their  names  for  various  sums, 
together  amounting  to  nearly  £300.  Upon  the 
strength  of  this,  the  committee  of  management, 
too  sanguine  in  their  expectations,  offered  to  pur- 
chase the  premises  now  occupied  for  £550  ;  £300 
to  be  paid  down,  the  remaining  £250  in  install- 
ments. The  owner  of  the  premises  being  in  In- 
dia, it  became  necessary  for  her  agent  to  write  for 
her  sanction  to  this  proposal.  An  answer  of  ac- 
ceptance has  now  arrived  ;  but,  alas !  there  are 
no  funds.  Another  purchaser  is  ready  to  pay 
down  the  whole  amount,  anxious  to  procure  the 
premises  for  a  far  different  purpose,  and  if  the 
committee  cannot  lay  down  the  £300  within  six 
months,  the  opportunity  is  lost.  Without  aid,  and 
liberal  aid,  too,  from  the  Cape,  I  fear  there  is  no 
possibility  of  obtaining  the  necessary  amount. 
Mr.  Bertram  has  strong  faith  that  the  Lord  will 
send  help  in  time  of  need,  and  some  of  the  com- 

16 


182  LIFE    AT    ST.  HELENA. 

munity  here  are  deeply  anxious,  and  much  engaged 
in  prayer  for  its  accomplishment.  And,  much  as, 
we  know,  there  is  to  occupy  the  attention  of  Cape 
friends,  we  yet  hope  that  you  will  not  desert  us. 
Sums  amounting  to  <£60  are  sure,  I  believe  ;  but 
what  is  that  to  .£300  1  If  I  were  at  the  Cape,  I 
would  beg  from  door  to  door  for  the  cause,  rather 
than  see  it  fail.  The  evident  blessing  that  has 
attended,  and  still  attends,  Mr.  Bertram's  labors 
in  this  benighted  spot,  is  such  as  proves  him  to 
be  sent  of  God  ;  and  therefore  I  believe  it  will 
prosper  ;  it  must  succeed." 

An  appeal  to  the  friends  of  the  Redeemer  at 
Cape  Town  was  prefixed  to  the  letter  as  it  ap- 
peared in  print,  and  followed  by  another  in  the 
Magazine  for  September.  In  this  latter,  it  was 
stated,  that  the  "  opposition,  which  ever  attends 
the  doctrines  of  the  Cross  when  boldly  and  faith- 
fully preached,  threatens  to  deprive  this  flock  of 
the  place  of  worship  that  has  been  provided." 

Although  it  was  a  season  of  great  commercial 
depression  in  the  colony  of  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  the  sum  of  forty-two  pounds,  of  which  thirty 
were  contributed  by  four  individuals,  Messrs. 
Hawkins,  M'Lcod,  Alexander  and  A.  Stecdman, 
was  presently  obtained,  and  forwarded  to  St.  He- 
lena. 

In  the  "  First  Report  of  the  Christian  Mission 
from  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  to  St.  Helena,"  pre- 


LIFE    AT    ST.  HELENA.  183 

sented  at  a  public  meeting  in  the  mission  house 
at  James'  Town,  December  29th,  1849,  and 
which  was  presently  published  in  pamphlet  form, 
the  state  of  the  funds  is  spoken  of  as  follows  : 

"  The  purchase  of  the  mission  house  had  been 
now  effected  for  the  sum  of  .£550,  payable  in  four 
years  with  interest  ;  two  of  which  have  now 
elapsed.  But  the  yearly  installments,  resting 
principally  on  a  few,  have  indeed  been  trying,  up- 
hill work.  Four  of  the  brethren  have  subscribed 
for  this  special  purpose  <£27  10s.  a  year  each, 
and  for  the  rest  we  have  sometimes  been  driven  to 
our  wits'  end,  not  knowing  how  or  where  to  turn. 
Every  way  blocked  up,  and  apparently  every  av- 
enue closed,  Moses-like  we  have  stood  still  to  see 
the  salvation  of  God.  The  great  sea  of  difficulty 
has  divided  in  the  midst.  A  friend  has  stepped 
forward  ;  relief  has  appeared.  A  Solomon  has 
once  and  again  stretched  out  his  hand.  A  Scott, 
with  others  who  have  always  thought  they  had  a 
right  to  do  what  they  thought  proper  with  their 
own,  have  kindly  lent  their  aid  ;  and  for  which, 
in  this  public  report,  we  beg  to  express  our  grate- 
ful sense.  To  help  us  temporally,  God  has  hith- 
erto said  '  to  the  north,  Give  up,  and  to  the  south, 
Keep  not  back.'  At  Jehovah's  bidding,  Chris- 
tian sympathy  has  been  excited  ;  holy  benevo- 
lence has  stretched  out  her  lovely,  helping  hand. 
Cape  Christianity  hath  not  forgotten  to  make  her 


184  LIFE    AT    ST.  HELENA. 

collection  for  the  poor  saints,  in  behalf  of  this  in- 
fant cause  of  God  on  this  rock  of  the  ocean. 
Christian  friends  and  gentlemen  at  the  Cape,  in 
the  spirit  of  the  glorious  gospel,  free  from  all  sec- 
tarian bigotry,  subscribed  their  names  and  put 
down  their  consecrated  pounds  to  aid  us  in  our 
time  of  need.  The  enemy  felt  our  new  strength 
and  feared,  and  the  weak  said,  we  are  strong. 
Our  prayer  to  God  is  that  He  may  reward  those 
our  kind  donors  a  hundred-fold,  and  that  those 
acts  of  Christian  benevolence  may  not  be  forgot- 
ten in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

"  In  consequence  of  this  yearly  installment  for 
the  mission  house  purchase,  and  other  incidental 
expenses  arising  from  the  lighting  and  cleaning, 
Mr.  Bertram  has  been  but  scantily  supported." 

At  the  expiration  of  four  and  a  half  years,  a 
debt  of  three  hundred  pounds  (fifteen  hundred 
dollars)  still  remained,  for  which  the  mission 
premises  were  mortgaged.  In  the  circumstances 
in  which  the  congregation  were  placed,  it  was  very 
desirable  that  this  burden  should  be  removed.  In 
addition,  moreover,  to  this  demand,  the  provi- 
dence of  God  -was  evidently  calling  upon  them  to 
erect  a  house  of  worship  for  the  accommodation 
of  the  residents  in  Sandy  Bay  Valley,  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  island  ;  and  another  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Rose  Bower,  in  the  very  heart  of 
the  island.      Both  of  these  stations  had  now  be- 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  185 

come  centers  of  a  most  salutary  influence,  and 
could  not  be  dispensed  with.  Hitherto  they  had 
been  under  the  necessity  of  meeting,  for  public 
worship,  in  the  private  houses  of  the  two  friends, 
whose  hearts  God  had  opened  to  receive  His  word 
and  His  ministers. 

To  effect  these  objects,  application  must  be 
made  for  foreign  aid.  It  was  not  to  be  obtained 
on  the  island.  The  congregation  had  strained  ev- 
ery nerve  to  meet  the  current  expenses  of  the  en- 
terprise thus  far,  and  had  done  nobly.  A  great 
work  had  been  accomplished  in  a  very  short  pe- 
riod. Out  of  themselves  they  could  look  for  but 
little  sympathy  among  the  wealthier  classes  of  St. 
Helena,  who  were  mostly  connected  with,  or  de- 
pendent for  patronage  upon,  the  government ; 
and  so  under  the  influence  of  the  colonial  Church. 

In  this  state  of  things,  after  much  deliberation 
and  prayer,  it  was  determined,  to  make  an  appeal 
to  the  friends  of  the  Redeemer  in  the  more  fa- 
vored portions  of  His  vineyard.  The  health  of 
Mr.  Bertram,  by  reason  of  the  incessant  labors  to 
which  he  had  cheerfully  devoted  himself  for  the 
past  five  years,  had  now  become  somewhat  im- 
paired. A  season  of  rest,  or  recreation,  it  was 
thought,  such  as  a  long  sea- voyage,  and  a  visit  to 
Great  Britain  and  America,  would  afford,  might 
recruit  his  waning  strength,  and  refit  him  for  re- 
suming, with  increased  vigor,  the  delightful  work 


186  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

of  evangelizing  the  native  population  of  St.  Hel- 
ena. 

Nor  was  such  an  appeal  to  be  regarded  alone  in 
the  light  of  asking  alms.     St.  Helena  is  the  half- 
way house  on  the  high  road  from  the  shores  of  the 
North  Atlantic  to  the  East   Indies.     The  mer- 
chants and  the  missionaries  of  Great  Britain  and 
America  find  it  a  most  convenient  and  welcome 
stopping-place,  on  their  way  home  from  an  Indian 
residence.     To  those  of  them,  whose  health  has 
been  sacrificed  to  the  purposes  of  commerce,  or  of 
the  gospel,  it  is  indeed  most  refreshing  to  find,  in 
the  midst  of  the  weary  waste  of  waters,  such  a 
convenient  haven,  and   so  delightful  a  climate, 
where  to  tarry  a  few  days  or  weeks,  amid  health- 
ful  and   balmy  breezes,  on   their  homeward  way. 
Mr.  Bertram  and  his  brethren  had  been  accus- 
tomed, year  by  year,  to  extend  the  hand  of  fel- 
lowship and  welcome  to  the  weary,  worn-out  mis- 
sionary, and  to  cheer  him  in  his  feebleness  and  sor- 
row, as  the  following  testimonial,  from  the  pen  of 
the  Rev.  Jonathan  Wade,  makes  abundantly  evi- 
dent : 

"  Both  the  Baptist  and  Panlo-Baptist  de- 
nominations, having  missionaries  in  the  East, 
owe  these  St.  Helena  disciples  a  large  debt  al- 
ready ;  and  tins  debt  will  increase  every  year. 
Their  missionaries,  who  are  returning  home  in 
feeble  health,  mostly  call  at  the  island  ;   and,  but 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  187 

for  the  hospitality  of  the  members  of  this  church, 
would  be  obliged  to  pay  a  guinea  a  day  for  board. 
Mrs.  Wade  and  myself  shared  their  hospitalities 
during  three  months,  which  enabled  us  to  board 
there  at  an  expense  which  our  usual  salary  would 
cover.  Brother  Bertram  and  his  family  vacated  his 
own  house  for  the  accommodation  of  Brother  Has- 
well  (Baptist  missionary  at  Amherst,  in  Burmah) 
and  his  family,  when  they  were  detained  some  three 
or  four  weeks  on  the  island.  Other  missionaries, 
now  in  this  countiy,  have  shared  their  hospitali- 
ties for  a  longer  or  shorter  period." 

Thus  actuated  and  encouraged,  "  the  Christian 
Brethren  of  the  Missionary  Church  in  the  Island 
of  St.  Helena,"  as  they  style  themselves,  pre- 
pared to  part  for  a  season  with  their  pastor,  and 
to  send  him  abroad  with  their  salutations  and  en- 
treaties for  help  in  the  good  work  of  the  Lord. 
Relying  on  the  ministerial  services  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Janisch,  and  the  three  licentiates,  Elliott, 
Dick,  and  Milne,  to  supply  them,  in  the  absence 
of  Mr.  Bertram,  with  spiritual  ministrations,  they 
committed  him  and  his  beloved  family  to  the 
guidance  of  the  Great  Head  of  the  Church.  The 
farewell  services  took  place  at  the  mission  house, 
on  the  18th  of  February,  1850  ;  on  which  occa- 
sion they  mingled  their  tears  with  their  petitions, 
and  pastor  and  people  wept  together  at  the  pros- 
pect of  separation. 


188  LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA. 

It  was  an  occasion  of  the  deepest  interest. 
Only  about  four  and  a  half  years  had  elapsed 
since  the  lone  missionary  had  set  foot  on  this 
"  Rock  of  the  Ocean,"  unknown  to  every  inhab- 
itant of  the  island,  and  altogether  uncertain  as  to 
the  reception  that  awaited  him.  No  missionary 
society  had  taken  him  under  its  patronage,  and 
pledged  him  a  support.  He  was  destitute  entire- 
ly of  all  earthly  dependence  for  his  daily  bread. 
A  single  letter  to  a  tradesman,  whom  he  had 
never  seen  or  known  before,  was  his  only  puss- 
port  to  favor.  His  coming  had  not  been  heralded 
in  the  periodicals  of  the  Cape  or  the  Island,  so  as 
to  attract  the  attention  of  the  great,  the  honora- 
ble, and  the  rich  ;  nor  was  there  a  waiting  church 
or  religious  society,  anxiously  expecting  the  ar- 
rival of  a  pastor.  Of  all  the  residents  on  the 
island,  not  more,  perhaps,  than  four  or  five  indi- 
viduals had  ever  known,  by  sweet  experience,  the 
blessedness  of  vital  piety.  Professors  there  were, 
and  two  of  them,  priests  also  ;  but  they  pertained 
to  the  Church  of  England,  were  attached  to  the 
formalities  of  a  heartless  system  of  religion,  and 
gave  but  doubtful,  if  any,  evidence  of  being  any 
tiling  more  than  mere  nominal  Christians.  But, 
whatever  they  were,  he  had  nothing  to  expect 
from  them,  hut  discouragement  and  resistance  in 
every  practicable  form,  to  the  purpose  and  aim  of 
his  mission. 


LIFE    AT    ST.    HELENA.  189 

But  now  how  great  a  change  had  been  effected ! 
A  fond  and  admiring  church  (numbering  at  pres- 
ent about  two  hundred  members)  had  been  gath- 
ered around  him  ;  the  word  of  God  had  been 
preached  in  every  quarter  of  the  island ;  preach- 
ing stations  had  been  established  in  town  and 
country ;  weekly  meetings  for  prayer  and  the  study 
of  the  Scriptures  had  been  set  up  ;  Sunday  schools 
and  day  schools  had  been  gathered,  or  were  soon 
to  be  started  ;  the  fruitful  soil  had  been  plenti- 
fully sown  with  the  good  seed,  and  a  blessed  har- 
vest of  souls  was  springing  up  all  around  him, 
portions  of  which  were  already  ripe  for  the  sickle. 
Well  might  he  and  his  grateful  brethren  exclaim, 
in  view  of  these  unspeakable  mercies,  "  This  is 
the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  marvelous  in  our  eyes." 


APPPENDIX. 


Very  shortly  after  Mr.  Bertram's  arrival  at  St.  Helena, 
he  was  called  to  sympathize  with  the  late  lamented  Adoni- 
ram  Judson,  D.D.,  in  a  season  of  deep  affliction.  Dr.  Jud- 
son,  in  consequence  of  the  alarming  state  of  his  wife's  health, 
had  been  induced  to  leave  his  field  of  labor  and  his  three 
younger  children  in  Burmah,  and  to  accompany  his  sinking 
companion  and  their  three  elder  children  to  his  native  land. 
They  embarked  on  the  "  Paragon,"  for  London,  April  26th, 
1845,  about  the  time  that  Mr.  Bertram  arrived  at  Saldanha 
Bay.  After  a  brief  sojourn  at  the  Mauritius,  or  Isle  of 
France,  of  about  three  weeks,  they  hastened  on  their  home- 
ward way.  Mrs.  Judson  continued  to  become  more  feeble, 
until  the  ship  came  to  anchor,  at  a  very  early  hour  in  the 
morning  of  the  1st  of  September,  in  the  harbor  of  James' 
Town,  when,  at  three  o'clock,  she  closed  her  earthly  pil- 
grimage. The  affecting  scenes  that  followed,  are  thus  re- 
lated by  Mr.  Bertram : 

"  Early  in  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  September,  I  received 
a  note  from  Mr.  Carrol,  the  American  Consul  of  that  island, 
informing  me  that  a  ship,  named  the  Sophia  Walker,  had 
dropped  anchor  in  our  bay,  the  previous  night,  and  that  she 
had  on  board  two  distinguished  passengers,  Mr.  Judson  and 
lady,  with  their  three  children  ;  but,  sad  to  state,  since  that 
brief  period,  Mrs.  Judson  had  departed  this  life.     He  fur- 


192  APPENDIX. 

ther  stated,  that  Mr.  Judson  sent  his  christian  regards  to 
me,  requesting  that  I  'would  come  on  board,  as  he  was  very 
desirous  to  see  me.  I  had  heard  of  Mr.  Judson  long  before, 
and  had  learned  to  think  of  him  as  one  of  the  most  noble  he- 
roes of  the  'cross  of  Christ.'  "With  a  heart  full  of  painful 
sympathy,  I  hastened  to  the  vessel.  As  the  boat  in  which  I 
•was,  neared  the  floating  house  of  death,  I  perceived  several 
of  the  crew  approaching  the  gangway.  Deep  sorrow  was 
depicted  on  their  countenances.  The  captain  received  me 
with  a  welcome,  and,  after  a  few  touching  hints,  conducted 
me  to  the  cabin,  where  I  was,  for  the  first  time,  introduced 
to  Mr.  Judson.  He  held  out  his  hand;  but,  for  a  moment, 
his  heart  was  too  full  for  articulation.  He  looked  pale  and 
careworn.  The  bitter  tears  flowed  down  his  cheeks  in  rap- 
id succession,  moistening  his  lips,  as  if  seeking  to  find  their 
way  back  again  into  that  heart  of  sorrow,  whence  they 
flowed.  Such  a  touching  scene  I  never  witnessed  before. 
With  him  stood  his  three  small  children,  weeping,  and  re- 
fusing to  be  comforted,  because  she,  whom  they  so  dearly 
loved,  was  not.  Mr.  Judson  soon  regained  his  self-posses- 
sion. He  spoke  to  his  afflicted  children  in  the  sweetest  man- 
ner, and  in  the  most  consoling  language  a  Christian  father's 
lips  could  utter,  and  then  turning  to  me,  Baid, 

"  '  0  sir,  she  died  in  the  Lord — so  peacefully.  I  asked 
her,  but  a  little  before  she  died,  if  she  loved  the  Saviour, 
and  could  trust  her  soul  into  His  hands.  She  answered, 
"  Yes,  0  yes."  Come,  Mr.  Bertram,  will  you  look  at  my 
love  ?     She  is  just  like  herself,  lovely,  even  in  death.' 

'•He  led  the  way  into  the  state-room,  where  lay  the  cold 
remains  in  which  once  dwelt  the  soul  of  her  who  had  given 
and  devoted  to  the  Saviour's  cause,  her  life,  her  all  Pleas- 
ant she  was,  indeed,  even  in  death.  A  sweet  smile  of  lovo 
seemed  to  rest  on  her  countenance,  as  if  heavenly  grace  had 
Stamped  it  there.  Mr.  .Judson  stood  at  her  head,  and  the 
children  around  her,  weeping  and^sohbing.  He  kissed  her 
cold    forehead,  again   and    again,   bedewing  it  with  tears. 


APPENDIX.  193 

After  a  few  moments,  he  said,  '  My  love  suffered  much  be- 
fore she  died,  but  never  murmured.  Her  sufferings  are 
over.  Yes,  she  is  now  in  heaven.  I  did  all  for  her  myself; 
dressed,  and  laid  her  out  myself.  This  was  her  own  re- 
quest. To  me  it  was  a  painful  duty;  but  God  sustained 
me.' 

"  He  then  informed  me  that  arrangements  had  been  made 
for  the  funeral,  which  was  to  take  place  at  four  in  the  after- 
noon, and  begged  I  would  attend  and  conduct  the  religious 
services  on  board  the  vessel.  I  then  left  the  ship  and  has- 
tened on  shore,  to  summon  all  my  Christian  brethren  to  be 
in  waiting  on  the  wharf  at  half  past  three  o'clock.  Return- 
ing to  the  vessel,  I  remained  with  Mr.  Judson  until  after- 
noon. When  the  time  for  the  religious  service  arrived,  the 
captain  called  together  all  the  friends  who  were  on  board, 
and  all  hands  who  could  be  spared  from  the  ship.  I  then 
read  a  suitable  portion  of  the  Divine  word,  and  gave  a  brief 
address — I  trust  from  the  Lord  a  word  in  season — and  then 
we  all  knelt  in  prayer  to  the  wise  Disposer  of  every  event. 
When  the  service  was  ended,  we  again  visited  the  solemn 
state-room,  to  take  a  last  look  of  the  departed  wife  and  mis- 
sionary. The  bereaved  husband  and  weeping  children  fas- 
tened their  eyes  upon  the  loved  remains,  as  if  they  could 
have  looked  for  ever.  Weeping,  kiss  after  kiss  was  imprint- 
ed on  the  cold  forehead.  The  last  look  was  taken,  the  last 
kiss  imparted,  and  then  all  was  hid  from  mortal  vision,  un- 
til the  morning  of  the  resurrection.  The  coffin  was  removed 
to  the  boat  which  was  to  convey  it  on  shore.  Other  boats 
were  connected  with  this,  so  arranged  as  to  form  a  funeral 
procession — three  going  ahead,  towing  the  one  which  con- 
tained the  corpse,  and  moving  forward  with  the  heavy  beat- 
ings of  their  oars,  and  another  followed,  in  which  were  Mr. 
Judson  and  the  three  children,  with  the  captain  of  the  ship 
and  myself  as  chief  mourners.  Our  Christian  brethren  and 
sisters  were  in  a  goodly  number,  with  Mr.  Carrol,  the 
American  consul,  and  his  family,  and   some  others  of  his 

17 


194  APPENDIX. 

friends,  already  waiting  on  the  shore,  to  join  the  funeral 
procession.  The  body  was  then  transferred  from  the  boat 
to  the  bier,  which  was  carried  by  a  number  of  seamen. 
The  pall-bearers  we  selected  from  among  our  Christian  sis- 
ters. They  were  four  in  number,  and  chief  women,  viz., 
Mrs.  Captain  O'Connor,  of  the  East  India  Company  ;  Mrs. 
Janisch,  widow  of  the  late  Dutch  consul ;  Mrs.  Torbett,  of 
Napoleon's  tomb  ;  Mrs.  Carrol,  American  consul's  lady. 
Mr.  Judson  and  myself  walked  first,  leading  one  of  the  chil- 
dren; the  captain  next  came,  leading  the  other  two;  the 
American  consul  followed,  with  his  friends;  then  our  Chris- 
tian brethren  and  sisters,  two  and  two  :  the  whole  number- 
ing about  one  hundred  persons.  It  is  nearly  half  a  mile 
from  the  landing  to  the  burying-ground,  the  way  to  which 
lies  through  the  town.  The  inhabitants  paid  their  respects 
by  closing  their  shops.  The  street  was  considerably  lined 
on  either  side  with  spectators,  who  all  appeared  to  mani- 
fest a  mournful  sympathy  with  Mr.  Judson  and  the  dear 
children. 

"  On  arriving  at  the  grave,  the  Episcopal  clergyman  read 
the  burial  service  of  the  Church  of  England.  The  body  was 
then  committed  to  its  mother  dust.  Our  Christian  brethren 
stood  around  the  grave  and  sung  a  solemn  hymn,  selected 
for  the  occasion.  During  tliis  service,  as  Mr.  Judson  stood 
supported  by  my  arm,  I  felt  his  animal  frame  frequently 
ready  to  give  way,  particularly  toward  the  last,  when  the 
coffin  was  about  to  be  lowered  into  the  grave.  I  could  see 
him  heaving  his  heart  to  God,  for  power  from  on  high,  to 
Hi-cngthen  him.  God  heard  his  prayer,  and  held  him  up 
All  being  now  over,  the  Christian  friends  began  to  with- 
draw; but  Mr.  Judson  and  the  children  appeared  to  linger, 
as  if  reluctant  to  leave  the  sacred  spot.  We  left  the  re- 
mains of  Mrs.  Judson  in  one  of  the  choicest  spots  of  the 
burying  ground — a  banian  tree  spreading  its  branches  over 
it,  as  if  to  guard  the  precious  treasure  which  lay  interred 
beneath  its  shade. 


APPENDIX.  195 

'  We  then  conducted  Mr.  Judson  and  the  children  to  the 
house  of  Mr.  Thomas  Alesworth,  which  stood  adjacent  to 
the  burying-ground.  His  large  parlor  was  filled  with  Chris- 
tian friends.  A  prayer-meeting  was  held.  A  goodly  num- 
ber engaged,  each  and  all  praying  God  for  comfort  and  sup- 
port to  His  dear  servant  and  his  children,  in  this  their  time 
of  need.  We  all  took  tea  together,  and  spent  the  remain- 
der of  the  time  in  religious  conversation,  speaking  much  of 
Jesus  and  the  resurrection.  And  now  the  time  of  Mr.  Jud- 
son's  departure  drew  nigh.  The  captain  called,  informing 
him  that  there  was  little  time  to  spare,  as  the  ship  was  to 
put  out  to  sea  again  that  evening.  Mr.  Judson  then  arose 
and  addressed  us.  He  spoke  with  feelings  of  the  highest 
gratitude  of  the  Lord's  goodness  unto  him,  in  sparing  him 
the  painful  task  of  burying  the  remains  of  his  beloved  wife 
in  the  restless  deep ;  in  bringing  her  to  our  island,  and  in 
giving  her  a  Christian  burial,  and  surrounding  him  with  so 
many  kind  friends,  who  had  joined  witli  him  in  paying  the 
last  tribute  of  respect  to  her,  who  to  him  had  proved  one  of 
the  best  of  wives,  and  the  most  devoted  mother.  He  said  he 
never  could  have  thought  God  had  so  many  who  loved  Him 
on  the  island,  and  that  he  expected,  when  Mrs.  Judson  died, 
to  have  buried  her  with  the  assistance  of  a  few  seamen  and 
a  small  number  of  sympathizing  friends.  He  thanked  us  all 
from  his  very  heart,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  for  our  Chris- 
tian sympathy  and  kindness  to  him  and  his  children,  pray- 
ing God  to  reward  us  a  thousand  fold,  to  bless  us  as  a 
Christian  Church,  and  requested  that  we  would  follow  him 
with  our  prayers,  when  on  the  mighty  deep.  He  then  gave 
Mr.  Carrol  and  myself  charge  of  the  grave,  and  instructions 
concerning  the  headstone.  He  desired  me  often  to  give  the 
hallowed  spot,  where  lay  the  remains  of  his  beloved  wife,  a 
friendly  look,  instead  of  himself,  who  would  soon  be  far 
away  from  it;  but  should  continue  to  visit  it  in  the  mourn- 
ful remembrance  of  his  spirit.  We  accompanied  him  to  the 
ship,  sorrowing  with  double  sorrow,  that  we  should  see  his 


196  APPENDIX. 

face  no  more  in  the  flesh.     Bidding  him  God  speed,  we  said 
the  last  farewell." 


B. 

CASES  OF  HAPPY  DEATHS  AT  ST.  HELENA. 

As  an  illustration  of  some  of  the  hlessed  results  of  the  St. 
Helena  Mission,  the  following  cases  of  individuals,  who  have 
departed  this  life,  after  a  happy  experience  of  the  power  of 
converting  grace,  are  presented  to  the  reader. 

Mrs.  Bukn'ham,  residing  at  Ilutt's  Gate,  a  short  dis- 
tance south  of  Napoleon's  tomb — an  aged  person,  of  large 
family — was  hopefully  converted  in  her  last  sickness,  through 
the  instructions  of  the  missionary.  Her  youngest  daughter, 
Mrs.  Edmonds,  also,  became  a  subject  of  divine  grace,  was 
baptized,  and  shortly  after  fell  asleep  in  Jesus.  Mrs. 
Yon.,  a  young  mother,  was  led  to  embrace  religion  on  the 
bed  of  death,  and  died  rejoicing  in  her  Saviour.  Caesar,  a 
native  resilient  of  Sandy  Bay  Valley,  became  a  remarkable 
trophy  of  divine  grace,  and  died  a  triumphant  death  at  the 
hospital  in  James'  Town. 

On  one  occasion,  late  at  night,  a  pressing  message  reached 
Mr.  Bertram,  asking  him  to  visit  one  of  the  native  women  in 
the  country,  who  was  lying  at  the  point  of  death.  "  I  mount- 
ed my  horse,"  he  says,  "  and,  accompanied  by  a  friend,  rode 
into  the  interior  about  three  miles.  Leaving  our  horses  at 
Ridge  Hill  House,  in  care  of  Mr.  Scott,  where  I  found  a 
couple  of  Christian  friends  awaiting  me,  we  wended  our  way 
r  of  Plantation  House,  the  governor's  seal .  and; 
entering  n  denBe  forest  of  pines,  by  a  winding  and  ruj 
foot-path,  we  groped  along  in  darkness,  toward  the  mid- 
nighl  hour,  quite  uncertain  of  our  footing,  and  frequently 
stumbling  over  some  unBeen  obstruction.  It  was  a  gloomy 
walk,  and  well  fitted,  in  the  circumstances,  to  fill  the  mind 
with  deep  solemnity. 


APPENDIX. 


197 


"  At  length  we  reached  the  place  of  our  destination,  and 
trere  heralded  by  a  faithful  watch-dog.  A  cluster  of  rude 
and  humble  cottages  was  before  us,  scarcely  visible  in  the 
gloom,  known  as  '  Chinatown,' and  formerly  occupied  by  a 
number  of  Chinamen,  who  had  mostly  been  removed  by 
death,  leaving  their  dwellings  to  be  occupied  by  others.  Mr. 
May,  the  husband  of  the  sick  woman,  met  us  at  the  door 
with  a  taper  candle,  and  conducted  us  to  the  bedside  of  the 
sufferer.  Two  or  three  of  the  native  Christian  women  wore 
present,  who  had  been  in  attendance  upon  their  afflicted 
neighbor  for  some  time  previously  to  our  arrival.  The  in- 
habitants of  St.  Helena  are  distinguished  for  their  kind  at- 
tentions to  the  sick  and  afflicted,  as  many  of  the  strangers 
who  have  visited  the  island  can  fully  testily.  Every  deli- 
cacy, or  alleviation,  or  relief  of  any  description  in  their 
power,  is  furnished  with  the  greatest  tenderness  and  sym- 
pathy. 

"  The  sufferer  was  dozing  when  I  approached  her  bed  ;  but 
after  a  little,  she  opened  her  eyes  and  gazed  about.  One  of 
the  sisters  present  said  to  her,  '  Would  you  like  to  see  Mr. 
Bertram?'  'Oh!  yes,' she  replied,  with  great  earnestness. 
'  Do  you  know  me,  Mrs.  May  ?'  I  asked.  '  Yes,  sir,'  she  an- 
swered, '  and  have  been  waiting,  wishfully,  to  see  you  be- 
fore I  died.'  '  Have  you  ever  attended  my  preaching  ?' 
'Yes,  many  a  time,  both  in  the  town  and  at  Sandy  Bay. 
Before  my  marriage,  I  lived  at  the  Bay  with  Sister  Jones. 
Alic  Jones'  wife  is  my  sister.  While  there,  I  attended  your 
preaching  frequently  at  Mr.  Lambe's  house.  After  my  mar- 
riage, not  long  since,  I  removed  to  this  place,  where  I  have 
been  so  much  afflicted  as  to  be  unable  to  go  and  hear  you.' 

"'Have  you  learned  anything  from  the  preaching  that 
you  have  heard?'  1  asked  again.  'Much — very  much,' she 
replied;  'I  learned  my  lost  and  ruined  condition  as  a  sin- 
ner against  God;  His  goodness,  also,  in  giving  a  Saviour, 
and  the  love  of  the  Saviour  in  giving  Himself  a  sacrifice  for 
my  sins.      I  often  left  Mr.  Lambe's  house  with  an  aching 


198  APPENDIX. 

heart,  and  -would  -weep  in  secret,  among  the  rocks,  over  my 
grievous  sins.  I  lifted  up  my  cries  to  God  for  pardon,  until 
at  length  I  found  the  Saviour  precious  to  my  soul.  And 
oh  !  He  is  precious  to  me  now.  I  feel  the  sweet  comforts  of 
His  presence.  1  am  not  afraid  to  die — death  hath  no  ter- 
rors for  me.'  Turning  her  eyes  toward  the  hearers,  she  ex- 
claimed, '  Oh !  my  precious  Saviour  !  I  long  to  be  with  thee. 
Me  thinks  I  see  Him  now.  I  feel  that  I  am  His,  and  He  is 
mine.'  She  then  praised  God,  that  ever  she  had  heard  His 
gospel  at  my  lips. 

"Prayer  was  then  offered,  in  which  she  engaged  most 
fervently,  and  every  heart  seemed  to  be  full  of  adoring  grat- 
itude to  God  for  His  wonderful  grace.  She  then  asked  us 
to  sing  a  hymn  with  her  before  we  left  ;  ami  while  we  were 
engaged  in  the  holy  exercise,  the  dying  convert  sung  with 
more  than  human  voice  ami  ecstasy,  her  clasped  hands  being 
raised  toward  heaven,  and  her  eyes  sparkling  with  a  holy 
radiance.  When  we  had  concluded,  she  sung  on,  and  cried, 
'Sing  with  me — don't  stop — sing  more — sing  again.  Praise 
the  Lord,  ()  my  soul  !'  Thus  she  continued,  until  her  phys- 
ical strength  was  exhausted;  and  early  in  the  morning,  be- 
fore the  dawning  of  day,  her  happy  spirit  was  wafted  by  an- 
gels to  her  Redeemer's  bosom. 

"Mrs.  YouNti,  also,  was  brought,"  says  Mr.  Bertram, 
"to  a  saving  knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and 
lived,  for  two  years  alter  her  conversion,  a  most  holy  and 
exemplary  life.  During  a  painful  anil  lingering  illness,  she 
was  gloriously  sustained  by  divine  grace,  and  manifested 
the  greatest  Christian  patience  ami  resignation.  Not  a 
murmur  was  heard  to  escape  from  her  lips.  (Mien,  during 
her  illness,  she  was  tilled  with  'joy  and  peace  in  believing.' 
She  had  a  faith  which  took  hold  and  rested  upon  the  imper- 
ishable promises  "t  the  gospel.  As  death  advanced,  her  joy 
increased,  her  prospects  brightened,  her  tongue  was  loosed; 
ami,  from  the  abundance  of  a  heart  tilled  with  the  love  of 
Christ,  the  spoke  at  different  times  to  those  around  her  in 


APPENDIX.  109 

language  more  than  earthly.     She  literally  died  singing  the 
praises  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb. 

"  Mrs.  Gyonh  had  attended  Sister  Young  in  all  her  ill- 
ness, had  heard  many  faithful  warnings,  earnest  entreat- 
ies, and  precious  invitations  to  come  to  the  Saviour ;  and 
often,  during  the  exercises,  had  been  deeply  affected  and 
powerfully  awakened;  but  would  again  return  to  folly,  un- 
til she  sat  under  the  sound  of  another  gospel  sermon,  when 
she  would  again  melt  and  quail,  and  again  relapse  intc  her 
former  state  of  carelessness  and  indifference  for  her  soul's 
salvation.  But  the  arrows  of  God  had  fastened  on  her  con- 
science, and  rest  in  her  sins  was  for  ever  banished  from  her 
soul.  She  struggled  for  a  long  time  against  the  truth  of 
God  an<l  her  own  conscience,  until  she  was  suddenly  seized 
with  a  severe  illness,  when  attending  her  husband  at  Rose 
Bower,  who  was  also  in  a  delicate  state  of  health. 

"All  at  once  the  terrors  of  death  and  judgment  stared 
her  in  the  face ;  the  thunders  of  Mount  Sinai's  burning  and 
fiery  mount  carried  terror  to  her  quivering  soul ;  she  quailed 
beneath  the  angry  judgment  of  the  Almighty:  she  felt  the 
value  then  of  a  Saviour  ;  and,  for  refuge,  was  enabled  to  flee 
to  the  foot  of  the  cross.  The  family  at  Rose  Bower  was  pi- 
ous, and  the  two  eldest  daughters,  during  her  illness,  daily 
supplicated  for  her  at  a  throne  of  graee.  Under  their  prayers 
and  pious  instructions,  she  was  enabled  to  lay  hold  of  the 
hope  set  before  her  in  the  gospel ;  her  fears  were  all  sub- 
dued, and  peace  in  believing  possessed  her  heart.  A  short 
time  before  her  departure,  she  fell  into  a  doze,  from  which 
she  awoke  in  a  state  of  perfect  sensibilit}',  giving  those 
around  her  a  most  sublime  description  of  a  heavenly  vision 
she  had  seen,  sweet  music  to  which  she  had  listened,  and 
holy  angels  that  she  had  seen.  Those,  who  witnessed  her 
death  and  all  its  attendant circumstances,  had  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  this  was  also  a  brand  plucked  from  the  burning. 

"  Grannt  Wells,  also,  an  aged  woman,  converted  after 
ehe  was  si'   y  years  of  age,  exhibited  all  the  glorious  evi- 


200  APPENDIX. 

dence  of  a  change  of  heart.  She  became  an  object  of  uni- 
versal Christian  love  among  the  brethren  and  sisters  on  the 
island.  When  she  could  no  longer  attend  the  house  of  God, 
from  feetdeness  of  health  and  shortness  of  breath,  she  had, 
every  Sabbath,  a  meeting  held  -with  her  in  her  own  room. 
This  was  a  sister's  meeting,  in  which  numbers  regularly  en- 
gaged in  prayer,  read  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  sang  God's 
praises  together.  This  was  Granny  Wells's  Sabbath-day 
blessing  ;  nor  could  her  soul,  hungering  and  thirsting  after 
righteousness,  ever  be  satisfied  without  it.  She  died  in  the 
Lord,  in  deed  and  of  a  truth,  beloved  by  every  Christian  on 
the  island. 

"  Sister  Thomas,  also,  a  native,  was  a  glorious  example 
of  the  converting  grace  of  God.  To  hear  the  word  of  Life, 
this  native  would  travel  over  every  part  of  the  island,  to 
every  missionary  station,  or  preaching  place  in  the  town,  at 
Francis  Plain,  Rose  Bower,  Sandy  Bay,  and  Longwood,  fear- 
ing lest  she  might  lose  a  single  gospel  sermon.  She  was  a 
woman  of  no  ordinary  mind,  and  became  well  instructed  in 
the  things  of  God.  Like  the  woman  of  Samaria,  her  zeal  to 
bring  others  to  Christ  was  manifest  in  the  long  journeys 
she  took  to  different  parts  of  the  island,  to  bring  the  people 
under  the  sound  of  the  glorious  gospel,  and  to  win  them  to 
1  ist.  She  had  wisdom  from  Heaven  to  combat  error,  and 
to  'contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the 
saints.'  Both  threats  and  promises  were  used  to  draw  he* 
from  the  right  way  of  the  Lord;  but,  with  her  ears  closed, 
she  went  on  her  heavenly  course,  shouting  '  Life,  life — eter- 
nal life!'  She  was.  however,  at  times  Bubject  to  great  per- 
sonal affliction,  Buffering  much  from  a  distemper  in  the 
head,  which  frequently  laid  her  up  for  days  and  weeks  to- 
Bickened,  at  length,  for  the  last  time;  ami.  in 
the  triumphs  ol  faith,  exchanged  this  world  of  Buffering  and 
death  for  the  heavenly  land,  where  '  there  shall  he  no  moro 
death,'  and  where  '  the  inhabitant  shall  not  say  1  am  sick.' 


APPENDIX.  201 

"  Mrs.  Weston  was  also  brought  to  a  knowledge  of  tho 
truth  as  « it  is  in  Jesus.'  She  was  considerably  enlightened 
and  instructed  by  the  preaching  of  the  word  at  her  mother's 
house  at  Green  Hill,  but  particularly  after  her  removal  to 
the  town,  on  the  bed  of  affliction,  and  death.  We  have  good 
reason  to  believe  that  she  experienced  then  a  change  of 
heart.  She  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  in  early  life,  shortly  after 
her  marriage.  She  was  accomplished  in  person  and  in  mind, 
as  well  as  of  a  most  kind  and  gentle  heart.  She  was  la- 
mented by  all  on  the  island.  A  goodly  number  of  her  rela- 
tives were  brought  to  the  Lord  through  the  preaching  of  the 
word,  and  became  members  of  the  mission  church.  Their 
consolation  was,  that  she  gave  good  evidence  of  having  found 
the  Lord  before  her  death,  and  that  their  painful  loss  was 
her  eternal  gain. 

"  Gkorge  Mc Nought  was  born,  in  the  north  of  Ireland, 
of  Presbyterian  parents,  and  was  therefore,  to  a  considera- 
ble deo-rce,  brought  up  '  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of 
the  Lord.'  lie  had  but  an  imperfect  education,  could  read 
not  very  well,  and  write  not  much  better.  lie  was  bred  a 
weaver,  and  for  a  time  supported  himself  by  his  trade;  but, 
being  addicted  to  profanity  and  dissipation,  he  at  length  en- 
listed as  a  soldier  in  her  majesty's  service,  and  was  sent  to 
St.  Helena.  He  had  a  fondness  for  music,  and  was,  in  con- 
sequence, put  in  training  for  the  band,  into  which,  after  a 
suitable  drilling,  he  was  introduced  as  a  proficient  in  the 
art.  He  was  thus  elevated  above  the  ranks,  and  a  dress  was 
given  him  much  superior  to  that  of  a  private.  His  personal 
appearance  was  very  attractive ;  and,  by  a  strict  attention 
to  his  regimental  duties,  he  won  the  respect,  and  secured  the 
approbation,  of  his  officers.  But  his  life,  when  out  of  the 
ranks  and  the  barracks,  was  very  irregular  and  profane. 
For  two  years  he  continued  to  pursue  a  course  of  high-hand- 
ed wickedness. 

"  The  soldiers,  who  had  been  converted  in  the  revival, 
were  wont  to  meet  at  stated  times  for  prayer  and  confer- 


202  APPENDIX. 

ence,  in  what  was  called  « the  soldiers'  room,'  attached  to  the 
mission  premises.  This  meeting  was  conducted  by  Sergeant 
Crook,  a  very  devoted  servant  of  Christ.  These  soldiers 
were  animated  with  an  ardent  desire  for  the  conversion  of 
their  comrades,  and  frequently  singled  out  one  and  another 
as  special  objects  of  prayer.  At  the  same  time,  they  en- 
deavored to  persuade  them  to  attend  upon  the  preaching  of 
the  word. 

"  Among  others,  George  M'Nought  shared  in  their  Chris- 
tian solicitude,  and  was  at  length  prevailed  upon  to  enter 
the  house  of  God,  and  hear  His  word.  Presently  he  was 
awakened  to  a  sense  of  his  guilt,  wretchedness,  and  danger. 
He  was  brought  to  see  into  what  depths  of  iniquity  he  had 
plunged,  and  how  dreadfully  wicked  and  abandoned  his  life 
had  been.  A  letter  came,  just  then,  from  home,  in  which 
his  godly  parents  poured  forth  their  affection,  in  pious  coun- 
sels and  entreaties,  urging  him  to  forsake  the  ways  of  sin, 
and  turn  to  the  Lord.  This  timely  epistle  deepened  his  con- 
viction, and  soon  he  was  led  firmly  ami  penitently  to  re- 
solve, in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  to  seek  the  mercy  of  his 
God,  if  there  was  any  mercy  for  such  a  wretch.  Encouraged 
by  his  comrades  that  were  pious,  who  took  him  by  the  hand, 
prayed  for,  and  instructed  him,  he  was  brought,  under  the 
preaching  of  the  word,  to  believe  with  his  heart  unto  right- 
eousness, and  to  cast  the  burden  of  his  sins  upon  his  Savi- 
our. His  BOUl  was  now  filled  with  joy,  as  one  alive  from  the 
dead,  as  a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus.  To  his  anxious 
parents  he  sent,  in  reply,  the  joyful  tidings  of  the  restora- 
tion of  their  prodigal  son,  and  his  reconciliation  with  his  of- 
fended Qod  and  Father. 

"  lb-  cast  in  his  lot  fully  with  the  people  of  God,  and, 
like  Caleb  and  Joshua,  followed  the  Lord  with  his  whole 
heart,  lie  was  neither  a  Demas,  clinging  to  this  present 
evil  world,  nor  a  Diotrephes,  loving  the  pre-eminence.  His 
was  imt  the  Laodicean  lukewarmness,  nor  the  Galatian  un- 
steadiness.    He  counted  '  all  things  but  loss'  for  Christ,  set 


APPENDIX.  203 

his  eyes  on  the  goal,  and  pressed  •  toward  the  mark,  for  the 
prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.'  His  motto 
was,  '  This  one  thing  I  do.'  So  remarkably  did  he  grow  in 
grace,  that  all  his  acquaintances  'took  knowledge  of  him 
that  he  had  been  with  Jesus.' 

"He  abounded  and  delighted  in  prayer,  spending  hours 
daily  with  God  in  the  '  soldiers'  room'  of  the  mission  prem- 
ises. He  shrunk  not  from  the  exercise  of  his  gifts  in  pub- 
lic, and  most  fervently,  as  well  as  effectually,  did  he  pray. 
It  was  a  great  pleasure  to  all  the  church  to  hear  him  ;  and 
rich  was  the  blessing,  which  seemed  always  to  flow  upon  them 
from  above,  when  George  prayed. 

"  He  loved  the  sanctuary,  and  drank  in,  with  awe  and 
holy  reverence,  the  instructions  of  God's  word,  relishing 
most  the  strong  meat,  on  which  his  soul  fed  and  grew  apace. 
H-e  was  an  example  to  the  believers  in  the  regularity  and 
punctuality  of  his  attendance  at  prayer  and  conference  meet- 
ings, whenever  not  on  regimental  duty,  as  well  as  on  the 
Sabbath  day,  to  hear  the  word.  His  spirituality  appeared  in 
his  whole  deportment,  as  well  as  in  his  speech  and  devo- 
tions. He  adored  the  free,  rich,  and  sovereign  grace  of 
God,  and  greatly  delighted  in  the  contemplation  of  the  in- 
finite riches  of  grace  and  wisdom  that  are  treasured  up  in 
Christ,  ever  seeking  to  magnify  and  exalt  the  wonders  of  re- 
deeming love,  and  to  lead  his  comrades  to  Jesus.  His  faith 
and  courage  was  such,  that  he  could  go  through  fire  and 
water  for  his  beloved  Lord.  Such,  too,  was  his  remarkable 
proficiency  in  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  as  to  give  un- 
doubted confirmation  to  the  promise,  '  All  thy  children  shall 
be  taught  of  the  Lord.' 

"  Nor  was  he  less  distinguished  for  his  humility.  Of  him- 
self he  never  spoke,  but  as  '  less  than  the  least'  of  the  saints, 
and  as  not  worthy  to  be  called  a  disciple,  or  to  receive  even 
a  crumb  from  the  Master's  table,  or  a  cup  of  water  from 
the  Lord      If  at  any  time  he  was  troubled  with  remaining 


204  APPENDIX. 

infirmity,  lie  mourned  over  his  corruption,  and,  with  deep 
contrition. 

'At  the  foot  of  the  cross, 
He  would  weep  for  his  loss, 
Till  the  blood  made  him  holy  again.' 

"His  exertions  to  lead  his  comrades  to  the  Saviour  were, 
not  only  unremitting,  but  patient  and  long-continued.  He 
wearied  not,  nor  was  he  discouraged  under  rebuke  and  re- 
proach.' He  sought  them  out,  entreated  and  besought  them ; 
and  not  in  vain.  Many  of  them  were  persuaded  to  accom- 
pany him  to  the  sanctuary  and  the  place  of  prayer,  of  whom 
several  became  happy  subjects  of  grace. 

"  He  delighted,  also,  in  conversing  with  his  fellow  Chris- 
tians on  the  things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom.  Often  they 
would  gather  round  him  in  groups,  on  the  mission  premises, 
and  stand,  with  open  mouths  and  ears,  drinking  in  his 
homely,  yet  savory  and  heavenly  talk,  by  which  the  sleepy 
professor  was  roused,  the  conscience  of  the  unfaithful  stung, 
the  timid  encouraged,  the  feeble  strengthened,  and  the  wan- 
dering reclaimed.  Yet  he  attempted  not  to  preach  or  lec- 
ture. 

"  George  had  been  chosen,  by  reason  of  his  fine  person,  to 
be  the  base-drummer.  The  carrying  of  the  large  drum  is 
very  injurious  to  the  chest,  and  but  few  persons  have  been 
known  in  the  British  army  who  could  long  sustain  the  bur- 
den. George  sank  under  it,  and  was  under  the  necessity  of 
leaving  the  ranks  for  the  hospital.  He  may  have  been  pre- 
disposed to  consumption  ;  hut  the  climate  of  St.  Helena  had 
noi  aggravated  the  disease,  as  it  is  well  known  to  be  highly 

favorable  to  the  removal  of  such  disorders. 

••  In  tin-  hospital  ho  was  treated  with  kindness  and  skill; 
so  that  after  some  we<ks  he  began  to  amend,  and  was  per- 
mitted to  leave  the  Bick  room  and  resume  lii.s  place  in  tho 
ranks.  During  his  sicklies.--,  he  was  enabled,  by  his  fervent 
prayers,  pious  instructions,  and  holy  conversation,  to  prove 
himself  a  blessing  to  his  fellow  patients,  some  of  whom  will, 


APPENDIX. 


205 


through  eternity,  have  occasion  to  bless  God  for  their  ac- 
quaintance with  him  in  the  hospital. 

"Grateful  as  were  his  brethren  in  the  church  to  see  him 
once  more  among  them,  it  was  but  for  a  short  season  only. 
His  disorder  soon  became  more  alarming,  and  he  was  obliged 
to  return  to  the  hospital  to  leave  it  no  more  alive.  For  the 
space  of  three  months  he  was  gradually  sinking,  and  wasting 
away  ;  but  not  a  murmuring  word  escaped  his  lips.  With 
the  utmost  patience  and  resignation  he  awaited  the  will  of 
God.  He  knew  '  that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to 
them  that  love  God,  to  them  who  arc  the  called  according  to 
His  purpose.'  The  language  of  his  heart,  as  well  as  of  his 
lips,  was,  'Not  my  will,  but  thine,  be  done.'  Dearly  as  he 
loved  life,  and  clung  to  it,  he  would  say,  '  Though  He  slay 
me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  Him.' 

"  He  enjoyed  a  sweet  and  serene  composure  of  soul, 
throughout  his  illness.  Though  the  '  outward  man'  was  per- 
ishing, 'the  inward  man' was  'renewed  day  by  day.'  He 
rejoiced  to  do  what  his  wasting  strength  would  allow,  for 
the  spiritual  welfare  of  his  comrades  in  affliction.  He  was 
visited  by  many  of  his  fellow  Christians,  and  others  also,  to  all 
of  whom  he  spake,  as  he  was  able,  of  the  worth  of  the  soul,  of 
the  necessity  of  experimental  religion,  of  the  willingness  of 
God  to  save,  of  the  efficacy  of  a  Saviour's  blood,  of  the  un- 
speakable comforts  of  grace,  and  the  wonderful  support  of 
the  Spirit.  To  those  who  were  unconverted,  he  would  speak 
particularly  of  the  vanities  of  the  world,  and  the  awful  dan- 
ger of  dying  in  sin.  'Ah!'  he  would  say,  'What  a  miser- 
able, guilty,  lost  wretch  would  I  be  now,  had  1  all  the  world 
with  me,  ami  no  Jesus!  How  much  better  am  I  off,  having 
Christ  with  me,  and  but  little  or  nothing  of  the  world.  Ev- 
ery day  He  strengthens  me,  sustains  me,  and  is  preparing 
me  for  glory.'  Then  he  would  tell  of  the  bright  prospect  of 
glory  that  Avas  spread  out  before  him,  and  say,  '  All  this  for 
poor  George,  unworthy  George;  not  the  merited  purchase 
of  my  own  good  works ;  oh  !  no ;  but  the  merited  purchase 

18 


206  APPENDIX. 

of  Jesus'  sufferings,  precious  blood,  and  death.'  He  seemed 
to  be  completely  captivated  with  the  charms  of  a  Saviour's 
love,  and  would  often  repeat  those  sweet  words  of  Dr.  Watts' : 

'Were  the  whole  realm  cf  nature  mine, 

That  were  n  present  far  too  small ; 
Love,  so  amazing,  so  divine, 

Demands  my  soul,  my  life,  my  all.' 

"  His  Christian  brethren,  with  great  modesty,  yet  with 
great  faithfulness,  he  would  exhort  to  live  near  to  God,  and 
to  fight  manfully  against  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil. 
To  do  this,  he  told  them,  they  must  be  stronger  in  soul  than 
in  body — must  be  strong  in  the  Lord  and  in  the  power  of  His 
might.  To  obtain  this  spiritual  '  might  in  the  inner  man,' 
they  must  give  themselves  much  to  private  prayer,  spend 
much  time  with  God,  and  as  little  as  possible  with  the  world. 
'Brethren!'  he  would  say,  'Walk  with  God,  and  do  n't  go 
away  from  Him;  cleave  to  Him  with  full  purpose  of  heart, 
and  He  will  never  leave  you,  never  forsake  you.  I  am  sure 
of  this.  I  have  tried  God  for  myself;  and,  notwithstanding 
all  my  unworthiness,  He  has  been  a  God  of  faithfulness,  a 
promise-keeping  God  to  mo.  Only  see  how  He  is  supporting 
me  now !  See  how  He  holds  me  up  while  heart  and  flesh  is 
failing  me  !  "  The  Lord  is  my  portion,  saith  my  soul ;  there- 
fore will  1  trust  in  Him."  Oh!  when  1  think  of  the  long- 
Buffering  of  God  to  me,  and  that  He  spared  me,  and  did  not 
cut  me  down  in  my  sins ;  that  He  sent  His  servants  and  His 
gospel  after  me,  His  spirit  to  quicken,  and  enlighten,  and 
convert  my  poor,  dead,  dark,  and  <_ruilty  soul — oh  !  the  good- 
ness of  God  to  mc!  "  What  shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord  for 
all  His  benefits  toward  me?"  "Bless  the  Lord,  0  my  soul, 
and  forget  not  all  His  benefits."  Oh!  brethren,  if  I  get  to 
heaven,  I   11  praise  Him  there  as  1  cannot  praise  Him  here.' 

"Thus  he  would  talk  to  those  who  visited  him  day  by 
day — who  fell  as  it'  they  had  Bpenl  si  me  time  on  the  very 
suburbs  of  heaven  ;  and,  on  meeting  sumo  ono  or  another  of 


APPENDIX.  207 

their  friends  on  the  street,  after  a  visit  to  George,  they 
might  be  often  heard  to  say,  'Oh!  you  ought  to  have 
heard  Georg«,  to-day;  such  heavenly,  blessed  things  he  did 
say  !  What  a  blessed  state  of  soul  he  is  in  !  What  a  heav- 
enly frame  of  mind  !  His  heart  is  full  of  God.  I  '11  tell 
you  what  it  is,  the  religion  that  George  has  is  worth  more  to 
him  now  than  all  the  world.  Oh  !  that  I  may  have  such  re- 
ligion as  George's,  when  I  come  to  die.'  The  unconverted, 
who  visited  him,  all  confessed  that  they  saw  in  him,  and 
heard  from  him,  what  they  never  saw  or  heard  before,  lie 
was  a  subject  of  discourse  all  through  the  town,  and  all  over 
the  island. 

"  But  it  became  every  day  more  and  more  apparent,  that 
the  day  of  his  departure  was  at  hand — that  he  was  last 
ripening  for  the  heavenly  kingdom.  It  was  on  a  dark  and 
drizzly  night,  and  at  a  late  hour  of  that  night,  that  it  came 
into  my  mind  to  visit  him.  I  knew  not  how,  but  so  it  was — 
the  conviction  was  fastened  on  my  mind,  that  there  would  be 
a  change  with  George  before  the  morning.  My  family  would 
fain  have  dissuaded  me  from  visiting  the  hospital  that  night, 
as  it  was  late,  wet,  and  dark.  But  something  said,  '  Go, 
and  tarry  not,'  I  left  the  mission  house,  and  proceeded  up 
the  valley,  toward  the  house  of  mourning.  The  hospital 
stands  about  half  a  mile  above  the  mission  house.  It  was 
between  the  hours  of  ten  and  eleven  when  I  entered  the 
ward.  I  found  George  sitting  up,  seated  in  a  large  easy 
chair,  that  had  been  given  me  by  an  American  missionary, 
on  his  visit  to  the  island,  who  had  received  it  from  a  gov- 
ernor in  India.  When  poor  George  took  sick,  I  sent  it  up  to 
the  hospital  for  his  use. 

"He  was  surrounded  by  a  number  of  his  Christian  fellow 
soldiers,  and  two  or  three  civilians ;  Sergeants  Wright,  No- 
ble, M'Calley,  and,  as  I  think,  Cooper,  were  there,  and  broth- 
er James  Buchanan — all  brought  to  God  through  the  open- 
ing of  the  mission  on  that  island.  As  I  approached,  George 
held  out  his  hand,  caught  mine  with  eager  grasp,  held  it  for 


208  APPENDIX. 

some  time,  and,  gazing  upon  me,  said,  '  Mr.  Bertram,  I  'm 
glad  that  you  have  come  ;  you  are  my  father  in  the  gospel ; 
but  for  your  preaching,  I  might  have  lost  my  soul.'  I  said, 
•  George,  how  do  you  feel  to-night :'  His  answer  was,  '  Oh  ! 
sir,  very  poorly ;'  and,  lifting  up  his  eyes  to  Heaven,  he  said, 
'  1  thought  my  Heavenly  Father  would  have  sent  His  chariot 
of  love  for  me  before  this  time;  it  has  noi  come  yet,  but  I 
am  waiting  for  it.  I  am  prepared  for  it,  and  all  ready  to 
go.'  I  sat  down  beside  him,  and  supported  his  head  for  some 
time  with  my  right  hand,  holding  sweet  and  delightful  con- 
versation with  him.  '  George.'  said  I,  '  Do  you  feel  the  Sa- 
viour still  precious  to  your  soul  ?  Do  you  still  feel  that 
you  love  Him  much  ?'  '  Yes,'  said  he,  '  and  I  long  to  be 
with  Him.' 

"  We  then  all  knelt  together  at  the  throne  of  grace,  one 
of  the  Christian  brethren  supporting  George  in  the  chair, 
while  I  commended  his  soul,  for  the  last  time,  to  the  pro 
tecting  and  everlasting  arms  of  the  Redeemer.  The  earnest 
spirit  of  George  accompanied  us,  in  his  fervent  breathings  to 
the  throne  of  grace,  and  while  beseeching  the  Saviour  to  be 
with  him  in  passing  through  the  valley. 

"  When  prayer  was  over,  I  sat  down  at  the  foot  of  one  of 
the  beds  of  the  hospital,  and.  being  wearied  with  the  exer- 
cises of  the  day.  1  fell  asleep.  1  Blept,  perhaps,  the  greater 
part  of  an  hour.  The  conversation,  that  passed  while  I 
slept,  was  related  to  me  by  one  of  the  Christian  brethren. 
He  said  that  it  was  of  the  most  heavenly  and  sublime  char- 
acter, which  he  was  altogether  inadequate  to  represent. 

"  He  was  not  permitted,  however,  to  enter  the  New  Jeru- 
salem, without  a  vigorous  assault  from  the  last  enemy, 
During  the  fir  t  pari  of  the  time,  his  conversation  with  tho 
brethren  ;  bis  full  assurance*  of  hope,  and  a  bouI  filled 

with  the  joys  of  the  great  salvation;  but  during  the  latter 

pari  of  the  time,  a  dark  Cloud  seemed  to  steal  over  his  soul, 
and  envelop  his  spirit  in  darkn.\->.  as  if  the  light  of  the  Di- 
vine countenance  was  withdrawn.     In   dismal  distress  and 


APPENDIX.  209 

horror,  he  began  to  sink  in  deep  -waters  where  there  -was  no 
standing;  and  in  the  disquietude  of  his  spirit,  to  cry  out  to 
his  Christian  brethren,  '  Oh !  what  shall  I  do  ?  oh  !  what 
shall  1  do?'  The  brethren  replied,  'Why,  George,  what  is 
the  matter  with  you?  What  has  come  over  you  now  ?  Are 
you  not  happy  now,  George  ?'  '  No,'  said  he,  '  I  'in  wretch- 
ed;  I  "in  miserable ;  I  am  undone  for  ever ;  I  've  lost  my 
Christ ;  He  has  gone  away  from  me  ;  oh  !  what  will  I  do  for 
my  Christ  ?  Oh  !  where  shall  I  find  my  precious  Christ  ? 
Oh!  dear  !  dear  !  I  have  lost  my  Christ!  He  has  gone  away 
and  left  me.  Oh!  what  shall  I  do  for  my  Christ?'  The 
brethren  reminded  him  of  the  precious  promises  of  the  gos- 
pel, and  betook  themselves  to  the  throne  of  grace  in  prayer, 
that  the  enemy  might  not  be  permitted  to  exact  upon  him,  nor 
the  son  of  the  wicked  one  to  afflict  him. 

"  Prayer  prevailed ;  the  enemy  was  driven  back ;  the 
snare  of  hell  was  broken;  the  darkness  was  scattered;  the 
light  of  God"s  countenance  burst  upon  him  like  the  noon- 
day sun  through  an  ocean  of  storms.  His  soul  was  radiant 
with  the  divine  glory;  his  very  eyes  sparkled  with  heavenly 
joys  ;  '  the  peace,  that  passeth  all  understanding,'  beamed  in 
his  very  countenance,  and  again  he  cried  out  aloud,  ' T  've 
found  my  Christ;  I  've  got  my  Christ;  I  have  my  Christ;' 
clasping  his  arms  across  his  breast,  with  his  eyes  raised  to 
heaven,  he  continued  to  exclaim,  over  and  over  again,  '  Oh ! 
my  precious  Christ!  What  a  sweet,  lovely  Christ !  I  will 
keep  my  Christ.  Oh  !  I  shall  never  part  with  my  Christ. 
I  'm  safe  now — I'm  happy  now  ;  and  1  am  all  right  with  my 
Christ.'  Turning  to  the  brethren,  he  said,  '  I  was  miser- 
able when  I  lost  my  Christ.  Oh  !  I  could  not  live  without 
my  Christ.  I  should  be  lost,  but  for  Christ.  But  now  I  'm 
happy  with  my  Christ.'  He  said,  '  Brethren,  are  you  all  hap- 
py ?  1  am  so  happy,  I  think  I  could  spare  some  of  my  happi- 
ness. Am  I  dying,  brethren  ?  Is  this  dying  ?  Why,  I  feel 
as  if  I  was  in  heaven.'  While  he  thus  spoke,  the  cough 
seized  him,  and  convulsed  him  for  a  length  of  time.     It  was 


210 


APPENDIX. 


evident  to  all  that  it  was  death,  storming,  and  shaking,  and 
demolishing  the  earthen  tabernacle  ;  it  was  his  last  struggle 
with  the  last  enemy.  When  the  coughing  fit  was  over,  he 
was  only  able  to  say,  '  Brethren,  lay  me  down  on  that  couch 
there,  on  the  floor.'  Four  of  his  Christian  fellow  soldiers 
removed  him  from  the  chair  on  which  he  sat,  and  laid  him 
on  the  mat.  All  now  gathered  around  him,  kneeling  and 
Btooping  over  him. 

"  Such  a  sight  my  eyes  never  beheld.  Soldiers,  with  their 
red  coats,  and  epaulets,  bending  over  this  Christian  hero,  in 
his  last  great  conflict  witli  the  king  of  terrors  !  He  opened 
his  eyes  once  more,  and  his  last  words  were,  'Victory! 
Sweet  Jesus  !  Precious  Jesus!'  His  head  fell  over,  and  the 
soul  of  the  victorious  warrior,  shouting  from  the  battle-field, 
had  fled." 

"  James  F.H.  Bertram,  youngest  son  of  James  ."\Hiregor 
Bertram,  a  beautiful  boy  in  person,  intellectual,  talented, 
and  exceedingly  affectionate,  the  hope  and  delight  of  his 
parents,  was  removed  from  them  suddenly,  and  at  a  time 
least  expected.  James  was  brought  up,  from  his  childhood, 
in  the  '  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.'  At  the  do- 
mestic altar,  unceasing  prayer  was  offered  for  his  salvation, 
lie  was  instructed  in  the  -nod  way  of  the  Lord  ;  to  read  His 
word,  to  respect  Ilis  laws,  and  to  keep  His  holy  Sabbaths; 
nor  was  he  inattentive  to  divine  instruction,  but  felt,  in 
Borne  measure,  Ins  obligations  to  God  ;  had,  however,  like  all 
other  boys,  faults  and  sins,  which,  when  pointed  out  to  him 
by  liis  parents,  by  way  of  rebuke  and  correction,  grieved 
him  much  and  afflicted  him  sore.  On  those  occasions,  he 
would  retire  to  his  room  alone, confess  his  sins  before  and  to 
the  Lord  with  a  broken  and  a  penitent  heart.  It  was  touch- 
to  hear  him  sobbing  and  begging  God  to  pardon  ami  for- 
give him  for  Jesu  ami  make  him  a  good  boy.  Mr. 
Janiscb  and  his  father  were  in  the  habit  of  giving  publifl 
in  the  children  in  the  mission  house,  which  were  in 
■a]  will  attended  and  bleesi  I  ol  flod.     On  one  occasion, 


APPENDIX. 


211 


after  Mr.  Janisch  had  delivered  one  of  his  lectures  to  the 
children,  James  came  into  the  parlor,  his  heart  full  to 
overflowing.  Grief  seemed  to  choke  his  utterance.  At 
length  he  sobbed  out,  '  Oh  !  father,  you  should  have  heard 
Mr.  Janisch  to-night;  what  good  things  he  did  say.'  He 
was  evidently  convinced  of  sin,  awakened,  and  deeply  con- 
cerned for  his  soul's  salvation. 

"  He  retired  into  his  room,  fell  on  his  knees,  and  earnestly 
pleaded  with  God  for  mercy  and  for  a  new  heart.  He  contin- 
ued at  this  exercise  for  two  hours  together,  until  it  grew  late 
in  the  night ;  and  in  this  state  of  mind  he  was  put  to  bed.  The 
death  of  George  M'Nought  affected  him  sore,  lie  was  well 
acquainted  with  George,  and  loved  him  much,  for  he  was  al- 
ready a  lover  of  good  men;  and,  when  George  died,  James, 
in  the  depth  of  his  sorrowful  heart,  was  one  of  his  chief 
mourners,  and  wept  for  him  much.  Some  time  after  the 
death  of  George,  sufficient  time,  for  its  solemnities  to  have 
passed  away,  James  was  one  evening  found,  after  he  had 
boon  put  to  bed,  crying  bitterly — so  much  so,  indeed,  that 
neither  his  mother  nor  any  one  in  the  house  could  comfort 
him.  His  mother  came  to  his  father,  desiring  that  he  would 
go  in  and  see  him,  speak  with  him,  ascertain  the  cause  of 
his  grief,  and  comfort  him. 

"  He  went  to  his  bedside,  and  asked,  '  James,  what  is  the 
matter  with  you?  What  aileth  thee,  my  dear  boy?'  But 
his  dear  little  heart  was  too  full  of  grief  at  once  to  answer. 
At  last  he  sobbed  out  and  said,  '  Father,  I  am  crying  for 
George  M'Nought.'  '  Why,'  said  his  father,  '  my  dear 
boy,  should  you  cry  for  George?  You  know  George  was  a 
good  man,  and  died  happy  in  the  Lord,  and  is  now  in  heav- 
en.' He  said,  'Father,  I  know  that;  but  I  am  crying,  too, 
for  my  own  soul."  His  father  told  him,  he  was  glad  to  hear 
(hat  he  was  concerned  for  the  salvation  of  his  soul. 

"  He  then  entered  into  a  lengthened  religious  conversation 
with  him,  talked  to  him  of  the  nature  of  sin,  of  the  guilt  and 
danger  of  sinners,  of  the  love  of  God  in  the  gift  of  His  Son, 


212  APPENDIX. 

and  of  the  love  of  Christ  in  the  gift  of  Himself,  in  suffering, 
bleeding,  and  dying  for  us. 

"  He  then  pointed  out  to  him  the  necessity  of  an  atonement 
for  our  sins;  the  nature  and  the  efficacy  of  that  atonement; 
the  necessity  of  the  agency  and  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
to  apply  the  blood  of  Christ,  to  change  and  regenerate  the 
heart;  and  also  pointed  out  to  him  the  way  of  justification 
by  faith ;  exhorted  him  to  believe  on  Christ,  for  the  salva- 
tion of  his  soul — free  pardon  and  acceptance  with  God,  for 
the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  and  for  adoption  into  the  divine 
family.  All  this  he  pointed  out  to  him  in  the  plainest  and 
simplest  language  possible,  and  by  the  most  easy  and  nat- 
ural illustrations,  such  as  his  tender  mind  might  be  able  to 
comprehend.  To  all  tins  he  listened  with  serious  and  eager 
attention  ;  and  when  his  father  would  ask  him  if  lie  under- 
stood all  these  things,  he  would  answer  '  Yes,'  or  nod  his 
assent.  Thus  he  endeavored  to  point  the  soul  of  his  dear 
child  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world.  Once  or  twice  his  lather  knelt  down  and  poured  out 
his  soul  to  God  in  prayer  for  him  ;  during  those  supplica- 
tions, he  was  earnestly  engaged  with  God  for  himself.  When 
prayer  was  ended,  he  seemed  comforted  and  composed,  and 
shortly  afterward  fell  asleep.  What  work  the  blessed  Spirit 
oi  God  wrought  in  his  soul  that  night,  cannot  be  known ;  but 
it  was  very  evident,  that  a  work  of  grace  hail  begun  in  his 
heart,  which  was  to  fit  and  prepare  him  for  a  better  world 
Shortly  after  this  he  returned  from  school  during  the  hot 
weather,  complaining  of  his  head,  which  continued  worse  and 
worse,  until  he  betook  himself  to  bed,  from  whence  he  never 
rose. 

'•lie  had  everj  medical  aid  and  strict  attention  from  his 

■j 1  and  able  physician,  Dr.  John  Stewart,  whose  kindness 

to  the  child  during  his  illness  will  ever  be  hold  in  grateful 
i  i  tnembrance  by  the  parents. 

"  kittle  .James'  trouble  was  all  in  hi  -  head,     1 1 8  seemed  tobo 

swallowed  up  with  sleep,  from  which  it  was  difficult  to  arouse 


APPENDIX.  213 

him  even  for  a  moment.  Hence  he  spoke  little  during  his 
illness  ;  but,  when  asked  if  he  loved  the  Saviour,  with  firm- 
ness he  would  answer  «  Yes,'  and  then  fall  off  to  sleep  again. 
"  They  will  never  forget  the  kindness  of  the  little  church  of 
God  on  Ocean  Rock,  in  this  their  severe  trial  of  faith  and  sore 
affliction.  By  the  church,  prayer  was  made  to  God,  without 
ceasing,  for  the  salvation  of  both  body  and  soul  of  James. 
For  him  hundreds,  if  not  thousands,  of  earnest  prayers  had 
ascended  to  the  throne.  Thus  the  church  continued  to  cry 
to  God  in  his  behalf  until  his  soul  was  transplanted  from 
the  prayers  of  the  Church  militant  on  earth,  to  join  the 
songs  of  the  Church  triumphant  in  Heaven.  He  was  the  first 
after  the  death  of  George  who  followed  him  to  heaven,  and 
now  sleeps  in  the  dust  of  death,  on  the  Rock  of  the  Ocean, 
at  the  feet  of  that  mother  in  Israel,  Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Judson." 


MISSION     TO     AMERICA 

The  Church  of  St.  Helena  have  reason  to  be  grateful,  not 
only  for  the  kind  providence  which  brought  Mr.  Bertram 
to  their  shores,  but  also  for  his  temporary  absence.  The 
object  which  they  had  in  view  has  been  accomplished,  and 
more.  Through  the  representations  of  their  pastor  in  his 
numerous  addresses,  they  have  been  introduced  into  the  fel- 
lowship of  the  churches  in  Africa,  Europe,  and  America. 
Their  history  was  previously  altogether  unknown  beyond  tin- 
narrow  circle  of  their  own  sea-girt  isle,  and.  in  must  cases, 
their  very  existence  had  not  come  to  the  knowledge  of  God's 
people  in  other  portions  of  the  world.  Now  they  are  known, 
honored,  and  loved  wherever  their  pastor  has  gone,  and  will 
be  remembered  with  deep  interest  by  many  thousands. 

A  brief  relation  of  the  incidents  of  Mr.  Bertram's  agency 
will  form  a  proper  sequel  to  the  account  already  given  of  his 
life  and  labors. 


214  APPENDIX. 

A  few  clays  after  the  public  meeting,  in  which  he  bade 
adieu  to  his  devotedly-attached  people  at  James'  Town,  Mr. 
Bertram,  his  wife,  and  daughter,  embarked  on  board  the 
brig  Velox  once  more,  now  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Ware,  on  their  way  to  Cape  Town.  After  a  long  passage  of 
twenty-nine  days,  they  reached  the  Cape  in  the  latter  part 
of  March,  1850.  They  met  with  a  hearty  welcome  from  the 
kind  friends  of  former  days,  under  whose  auspices  they  had 
undertaken  their  mission  to  St.  Helena  nearly  five  years 
before. 

After  some  three  or  four  weeks'  sojourn  at  Cape  Town, 
arrangements  were  made  for  a  public  meeting,  which  was 
held  the  last  week  in  April,  at  Union  Chapel  (Rev.  Dr.  Phil- 
lip's), when  Mr.  Bertram  "  rehearsed  all  that  God  had  done 
with  them,  and  how  He  had  opened  the  door  of  faith"  unto  the 
benighted  natives  of  St.  Helena,  and  many  of  the  residents  of 
that  island.  In  the  account  given  of  this  meeting,  in  the 
"  Cape  Town  Mail,"  of  Saturday,  May  1th,  1850,  it  is  said, 
that  "  the  Rev.  Mr.  Freeman  took  the  chair,  and  the  Revds. 
Dr.  Adamson,  Mr.  Stegman,  and  Mr.  Vogelzegang  advocated 
the  claims  of  the  mission  on  the  Christian  people  of  Cape 
Town,  with  whom  it  originated,  and  the  necessity  of  their 
aiding  Mr.  Bertram  in  the  accomplishment  of  the  object  for 
which  he  has  visited  Cape  Town.  Mr.  Bertram's  report 
was  interesting  and  encouraging 

"  The  South  African  Commercial  Advertiser,"  also,  of 
May  8th,  1850,  observed  that  "  those  of  the  public,  who  pro- 
fess to  feel  an  interest  in  the  diffusion  of  pure  and  undefiled 
religion,  have  an  opportunity  of  evincing  their  sincerity,  by 
assisting  the  Bev.  Mr.  Bertram,  in  his  praiseworthy  labors 
al  St.  Helena.  Mr.  Bertram  was  favorably  known  hero 
some  years  ago  as  a  missionary  among  the  large  and  some- 
what turbulently-disposed  body  of  Bailors  in  Saldanha  Bay, 

where    some    hundreds    Of    ?efi    elS,     With    their    crews,    wire 

crowded  together  in  that  place,  removing  the  guano.     Ho 

has  since  been  highly  useful  at  St.  Helena,  and  is  now  en- 


APPENDIX.  215 

gaged  in  raising  funds  for  the  erection  of  places  of  public 
worship  in  that  island." 

During  his  stay  of  about  six  weeks  at  the  Cape,  about  ono 
hundred  and  twenty  pounds  (#600)  were  contributed  to  this 
object  by  the  different  denominations  at  Cape  Town. 

About  the  middle  of  May,  he  embarked  with  his  family  on 
board  of  the  schooner  Avon,  Captain  Webb,  for  Boston,  in 
the  United  States  of  America,  where  he  arrived,  after  a  pas- 
sage of  fifty-six  days,  on  the  10th  of  July,  simultaneously 
with  the  lamented  decease  of  the  late  President  of  the  United 
States,  Zachary  Taylor. 

He  had  been  kindly  furnished  with  the  following  testimo- 
nial from  the  American  Consul,  William  Carrol,  Esq.,  a 
member  of  his  congregation,  but  not  a  communicant,  from 
the  first;  and  from  whom,  as  Mr.  Bertram  testifies,  he  had 
continued  to  receive,  even  to  the  last,  the  most  pleasing 
proofs  of  kindness  and  regard  ;  to  whom,  also,  not  a  few  of 
the  missionaries  who  have  stopped  at  the  island,  have  bee^ 
in  like  manner  indebted. 

"  St.  Helena,  Feb.  18,  1850. 
"Rev.  Rufus  Anderson,  Missionary  Rooms,  Boston. 

"Rev.  and  very  Dear  Sir, — This  opportunity  serves 
forme  to  introduce  to  you  the  Rev.  James  M'Gregor  Ber- 
tram, who  has  been  carrying  out  the  work  of  the  Lord  in 
this  island  for  the  last  five  years ;  and  happy  I  am  to  tell 
you  that  in  my  belief  he  has  done  more  real  good  in  that 
time  than  has  been  accomplished  for  the  last  one  hundred 
and  fifty  years. 

"  Mr.  Bertram's  object  in  paying  your  liberal  country  a 
visit,  is,  to  get  his  cords  strengthened,  about  which  he  will 
no  doubt  communicate  with  you  freely ;  and  I  pray  you  te 
extend  to  him  the  right  hand  of  fellowship,  and  to  give  him 
that  Christian  support  and  help  which,  in  my  conscience,  I 
sincerely  believe  he  deserves. 

"  To  write  more  on  this  subject,  would  be  to  write  vol- 


216  APPENDIX. 

umcs,  which  is  unnecessary,  as  he  will  give  you  a  faithful 
account  of  himself  and  his  operations,  and  will  further  ex- 
plain the  various  obstructions  and  hinderances  he  has  had  to 
contend  with  in  preaching  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ 
in  this  place.  Through  your  help  and  influence,  I  trust  ho 
■will  be  enabled  to  return  back  soon  to  his  work.  I  there- 
fore recommend  him  to  your  Christian  sympathies  and  kind- 
ness, and  that  of  your  friends,  and  remain, 
"  Rev.  and  very  dear  sir, 

"  Yours,  most  respectfully, 

"  AY.  Carrol." 

Similar  testimonials  had  been  furnished  him  from  II.  E. 
Rutherford,  Esq.,  a  distinguished  Christian  merchant  of 
Cape  Town,  and  one  of  the  truest  friends  of  missions,  and  of 
all  such  enterprises,  to  be  found  in  the  Southern  hemisphere; 
long  known  to  the  American  missionaries  in  that  portion  of 
the  world,  as  the  Financial  Agent  of  the  American  Board. 

"  Cape  Town,  May  15tft,  1850. 
"Rev.  Dr.  R.  Anderson-, 

"  Dear  Sir, — I  take  the  liberty  of  sending  you  a  few  lines 
at  the  request  of  my  friend,  Mr.  James  M'Gregor  Bertram, 
who  has  been  very  useful  as  a  preacher  of  the  gospel  at  St. 
Helena.  We  have  done  what  we  could  to  assist  him  here ; 
but  he  requires  further  aid  to  carry  out  his  intentions,  and 
will,  I  trust,  meet  with  such  aid  in  j'our  noble  country. 

"Our  respected  friend,  Dr.  Phillip,  is  in  tolerable  health 
of  body,  but  grows  very  feeble.     His  menial  powers,  with 
the  exception  of  memory,  arc  still  vigorous. 
"  I  am,  Rev.  and  dear  sir, 

"  Yri y  respectfully  youra, 

"  II.    V..    lit  THERFORD." 

\\r  soon  found  himself  among  the  friends  of  the  Redeem- 
er, by  whom  he  was  Bincerely  welcomed  to  America.  He 
had  the  pleasure,  also,  of  finding,  at  Boston,  his  friend  tho 


APPENDIX.  217 

Rev.  Jonathan  Wade,  with  whom  he  had  formed  so  delight- 
ful an  acquaintance  and  fellowship  at  St.  Helena,  and  who 
now  gladly  embraced  the  opportunity  of  making  some  re- 
turn to  Mr.  Bertram  for  the  many  kindnesses  shown  to  him 
and  his  lady  on  their  way  from  Burmah  in  1848.  In  the 
testimonial  and  recommendation  with  which  Mr.  Wade  in- 
troduced him  to  the  American  churches,  he  gave  an  account 
of  what  he  himself  had  seen  in  St.  Helena,  of  the  fruit  of  Mr. 
Bertram's  labors,  and  said,  "  May  the  Lord  give  him  that 
favor  with  the  pastors  and  churches  in  this  land,  which  he 
and  his  people  have  shown  to  many  a  poor,  worn-out  mis- 
sionary, Baptist  and  Predo-baptist,  who  have  stopped,  stran- 
gers, and  otherwise  friendless,  upon  the  island/' 

He  was  furnished,  also,  with  a  general  letter  of  recom- 
mendation by  the  pastors  of  the  Baptist  churches  in  Boston 
and  vicinity,  in  which  they  cordially  commended  his  object, 
and  spake  in  the  highest  terms  of  his  labors  of  love  at  St. 
Helena.  Similar  letters  were  kindly  given  him  by  the  Rev. 
Rufus  Anderson,  D.D.,  and  the  Rev.  S.  L.  Pomeroy,  D.D., 
Secretaries  of  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  For- 
eign Missions;  and  by  the  Board  of  the  American  Baptist 
Missionary  Union. 

Thus  furnished,  he  entered  upon  his  agency ;  and  in  the 
course  of  the  next  ten  or  eleven  months,  visited  the  churches 
of  different  denominations  in  and  about  the  city  of  Boston, 
the  principal  cities  and  towns  of  Massachusetts,  New  Hamp- 
shire, Rhode  Island,  and  Connecticut,  being  everywhere  re- 
ceived with  a  cordial  welcome  by  Congregationalists  as  well 
as  Baptists,  and  exciting  everywhere  a  deep  interest  in  be- 
half of  the  "  Lone  Isle"  of  the  South  Atlantic.  He  was  fa- 
vored, also,  with  liberal  contributions  to  the  cause,  not  more 
from  the  Baptist  denomination  than  others.  The  question 
was  hardly  asked,  "To  what  sect  do  you  and  your  church 
belong?"  It  was  Christ's  work  in  which  he  was  engaged, 
and  as  such  he  was  recognized  and  received  by  the  friends 
of  Christ. 

19 


218  APPENDIX. 

It  would  be  invidious  to  particularize  the  names  of  dis- 
tinguished pastors,  in  the  various  places  that  he  visited,  from 
whom  he  received  the  most  flattering  and  encouraging  let- 
tei-s  of  commendation.  It  will  be  sufficient  to  refer  to  the 
letter  of  his  excellency,  George  N.  Briggs,  the  Chief  Magis- 
trate, at  that  time,  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts, 
whose  kind  and  Christian  attention  to  the  missionary  stran- 
ger will  never  be  forgotten.  Governor  Briggs  wrote  as  fol- 
lows : 

"I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  an  introduction  to  the  bearer, 
the  Kev.  James  M'Gregor  Bertram,  a  missionary  at  St.  Hel- 
ena. He  is  now  in  this  country  to  solicit  pecuniary  aid  for 
the  establishments  which,  under  Providence,  he  has  been 
instrumental  in  building  up  on  that  island.  The  testimo- 
nials of  his  character  are  entirely  satisfactory.  His  posi- 
tion, the  success  of  his  labors  heretofore,  his  kindness  and 
attention  to  missionaries  from  this  country,  of  different  de- 
nominations, on  their  way  to  and  from  their  stations,  give 
him  strong  claims  upon  the  liberality  of  American  Chris- 
tians. 

"  Most  cordially  I  commend  him  to  the  friends  of  faithful 
missionaries,  and  the  lovers  of  the  great  cause  in  which  they 
are  engaged. 

"  Geo.  N.  Briggs. 

"  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  2Jtft  Dec,  1850." 

As  the  summer  of  1851  approached,  Mr.  Bertram  found 
it  necessary  to  intermit,  <>n  account  of  his  health,  which  had 
suffered  somewhat,  t lie  arduous  and  wearying  labors  of  his 
y.  He  also  desired  greatly  to  revisit  his  native  land, 
and  the  Bcenes  of  his  youthful  days.  Accordingly  he  took 
passage  on  one  of  the  Cunai-d  steamers  at  New  York,  in  the 
month  of  June,  1861 ,  for  Liverpool,  whence,  after  a  pleasant 
and  speedy  voyage,  he  wen!  up  to  Dumfries,  to  see  his  kin- 
dred according  to  the  flesh,  and  was  of  course  received  as  a 
welcome  visitor.     His  companion  had  preceded  him  some 


APPENDIX.  219 

tveeks  previously.  They  also  visited  Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 
and  Manchester,  in  both  of  which  they  had  formerly  resided. 
At  Manchester  they  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving  a  note  from 
the  High  Sheriff  of  St.  Helena,  S.  Solomon,  Esq.,  a  man  of 
high  standing  and  great  respectability.  In  this  note  the 
sheriff  says,  "  All  goes  on  well  at  the  mission  house.  In- 
deed, you  laid  the  foundation,  and,  no  doubt,  all  will  pros- 
per. Your  exertions  to  promote  the  welfare,  demands  public 
thanks.  God  grant  you  health  and  long  life  to  follow  up 
your  undertaking." 

Five  or  six  weeks  having  been  passed  very  pleasantly  in 
Great  Britain,  they  left  their  native  shores  once  more,  on 
board  the  New  York  packet  ship  "  Jacob  Westervelt,"  Cap- 
tain Hoodless,  August  20th,  1851,  for  New  York  city.  Ten 
days  out,  and  not  long  after  they  had  passed  Cape  Clear, 
they  were  overtaken  by  a  terrific  gale,  which  continued  to 
pour  its  fury  upon  the  ship  and  its  eight  hundred  inmates 
for  two  days  and  a  night.  In  this  awful  storm,  the  ship 
was  so  disabled,  by  the  loss  of  her  main  and  mizen  masts, 
and  rigging,  as  to  be  compelled,  after  the  tempest  subsided, 
to  put  back  for  repairs  to  the  Cove  of  Cork,  where  they  short- 
ly after  arrived  in  safety. 

The  delay  of  a  fortnight  in  that  harbor,  gave  Mr.  Ber- 
tram an  opportunity  of  forming  an  acquaintance,  not  only 
with  the  "  Green  Isle,"  but  with  many  of  her  worthy  sons, 
and  of  addressing  congregations  of  different  denominations 
in  the  city  of  Cork,  on  the  St.  Helena  Mission.  On  one  oc- 
casion, while  delivering  an  address  in  the  meeting-house  of 
the  Rev.  Benjamin  Young,  a  Baptist  minister  of  Cork,  the 
house,  and  windows  particularly,  received  the  questionable 
benefit  of  a  shower  of  stones,  but  without  any  corporeal  dam- 
age to  the  ministers  or  people. 

Embarked  again  on  their  westward  way,  they  reached  the 
port  of  New  York  in  safety,  under  the  guidance  of  their 
Great: Protector,  and  with  hearts  of  devout  gratitude,  on  the 
12th  day  of  November,  1851.      Here,  too,  they  received  a 


220  APPENDIX. 

cordial  welcome,  and  Mr.  Bertram  was  admitted  to  the  pul- 
pits of  nearly  all  the  Presbyterian  and  Congregational,  as 
well  as  the  Baptist  churches  in  New  York,  Brooklyn,  and 
vicinity.  Generous  contributions  of  money  were  received, 
and  the  amount  of  donations  to  the  object,  which  previously 
had  reached  the  sum  of  $3000,  was  swelled  to  nearly  66000. 
By  the  good  providence  of  God,  Mr.  Bertram  hopes  to  re- 
turn, in  the  course  of  the  summer  or  autumn,  to  his  lone  isl- 
and home,  bearing  with  him,  or  having  sent  before  him,  the 
full  amount  of  funds  which  he  sought  to  secure  for  the  erec- 
tion of  the  chapels  at  Sandy  Bay  and  Bose  Bower,  and  to  re- 
deem the  chapel  at  James'  Town  from  the  mortgage  with 
which  it  has  for  years  been  incumbered.  But  this  is  by  no 
means  the  whole  of  the  burden  with  which  he  will  be  freight- 
ed. He  bears  with  him  the  sympathies,  prayers,  and  lively 
hopes  of  the  thousands  of  God's  people,  whom,  by  God's  fa- 
vor, he  has  interested  in  his  work,  of  which  this  humble 
volume  is  a  feeble  testimonial. 


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Keeps  constantly  on  hand  a  complete  assortment  of  RELIGIOUS 
AND  MISCELLANEOUS 

which  nre  ."old  at  very  low  prices. 
Attention  is  particularly  requested  to  the  following  list  of 

'jOnltmlile  nn&  Smpnrtaiit  ^nhltrntinnB. 

ALEXANDER,  J.  W.— Tkt  Young  Men  of  Cities  urged  to  the 
wink  of  Mtnlal  Improvement, 

CARSON,   L.  L.  D-,   Alexander,  The  Life  of.  by  Rev.  Geo.  C. 

Moure.     "  The  Jonathan  Edwards  of  the  lUlu  century." 

J        "         The  Knvirhdgc  of  Jesus  the  most  excellent  of  the   Sci- 

Hi. 

"A  eharnVing  book,  and  we  could  wish  it  were  in  every 

Chri.-iiaii  family."  Lutheran  Observer. 

"A  book  of  viguiutis  thought,  worthy  of  careful  study." 

Kel.  Herald. 
"  Would  do  honor  to  any  pen  that  ever  wrote." 

Ttoy  Budget. 
"        '•         The  God  of  Providence.     (In  press.) 

CONVERSATIONAL  COMMENTARY  on  Matthcu>,  John 
and  the  Jets.     \'>y  \N  in.  Hague,  I).  D. 

COBEIN,  Ingram.     Thr  Ultffirated  Domestic  Biblo. 

CREEVER,  t).  D.,  Geo.  B.— A  PUa  fur  Children  and  the  Chris- 
tian iabbaih. 

DOWL1JNG-,  D.  D.,  Jonn.— A  Collection  of  Hymns  for  use  iu  con- 
fi  renco  .  I  ,ngs. 

"        "         The    O.  iblt,   or  ten  ronr  ons  nrrninst  the 

pro;  !.  t  m  rfion  <u  die  New  Testamenti 


m 


A»»JV*-^»,*^.rf-. 


EVERTS,  Win.  W.-The  Life  and  Thovghts  of  John  Foster. 

"        "        The  Social  Position  and  Influence  of  Cities. 

"        "         The  Theatre. 

FOSTER.  John. — The  Spirit  of  Missions,  with  an  Essay  by  Tlev. 
J.  P.  Thompson,  pastor  of  the  Broadway  Tabernacle  Church. 

HEAVEN'S  ANTIDOTE  to  the  Curse  of  Labor,  a  prize  essay 
On  the  Sabbath. 

HARRIS,  Mrs.  S.  31. — Memoir  of  Jacob  Thomas,  missionary  to 

A .- .- .  u  ii . 

HAGUE,  D.  D.,  Wm.,  Conversational  Commentary  on  ftlatthew, 
John  and  the  Acts. 

"        "        The  Duties  of  Employers  and  Employed. 

MOORE,  Geo.  C.—Life  of  Alexander  Carson,  LL.  D. 

MATTISON,  H.— The  Trinity  and  Modern  Arianism. 

PAINE,   Martyn.— The   Soul,  Instinct  and  Life,  physiologically 
distinguished  from  Materialism. 

SABBATH  ESSAYS;  comprising  the  Pearl  of  Days,  Heaven's 
Antidote,  and  the  Light  of  the  Week. 

THE   GOD    OF  PROVIDENCE,  the   God  of  the  Bible;    by 
Alex.  Carson. 

THE  PEARL  OF  DAYS,  by  a  Laborer's  Daughter. 

THE   LIGHT   OF  THE  WEEK,  or  the  Advantages  of  the 
Sabbath  to  the  Working  Classes.     A  prize  Essay. 

WILLIAMS,  D.  D.,  Wm.   R.,  Miscellanies ;  consisting  of  Dis. 
courses  and   Essays.     This  volnme  contains  the  most  elaborate 
and  finished  of  Dr,  Williams'  productions. 
"A  volume  which  is  absolutely  necessary  to  the  completeness  of  a 
modern  library.'' — N.  Y.  Weekly  Review. 

"  Dr.  Williams  is  a  profound  scholar  and  a  brilliant  writer." — If.Y. 
i  Evangelist. 

I       "  *    *    *    from  the  pen  of  one  of  the  most  able  and  accomplished 
'  authors  of  the  ase." — Hap.  Memorial. 

"  We  are  glad  to  see  this  volume.     We  wish  that  such  men  abound- 
ed in  every  sect." — Clin.  Register. 

"  This  volume  contains  some  of  the  choicest  emanations  of  a  mind 
of  the  highest  order." — 1ST.  Y.  Com.  Advertiser. 

"This  is  one  of  the  richest  volumes  that  has  been  given  to  the  pub 
lie  for  many  years." — If.  Y.  Bap.  Register. 

"  The  author's  mind  is  cast  in  no  common  mould.    *  *  a  delightful 
voluuia."— Methodist  Protestant. 


m 


"A  rich  literary  repast." — Albany  Journal. 

"His  character  presents  a  rare  uuion  of  the  highest  qualities  of 
the  srholar  and  the  Christian." — Olive  Branch. 

"  Dr.  \V.  is  one  of  the  leadin?  miuds  of  our  eountry,  and  this  vol- 
ume one  of  the  richest  gems  of  literature." — Lime  Rock  Gazette. 

WORDS  IN  EARNEST;  by  Revs.  T.W.Alexander,  W.  W 
Everts,  Wm.  Hague,  and  Geo.  B.  Cheever. 

S.  S.  HYMNS.— The  Baptist  S.S.  Hymn  Book. 

TtJRNEY,  Rev.  E.— The  Scriptural  Law  of  Baptism. 

NOEL,  Rev.  and  Hon.  B.  W. — Essay  on   Christian  Baptism,   with 
an  Introduction  by  John  Dowling,  D.  D. 

BELCHER.    Rev.  Joseph.—  The  Baptist  Pulpit  of  the    United 
Stales,  with  fine  portraits. 

FISH,  Rev.  H.  C. — The  Baptist  Catechism,  iu  two  vols. 

ARTICLES  OF  FAITH  as  generally  held  by  the  Baptist  De- 
nomination. 

WHEELOOK,  Rev.  A — Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper. 

MANLY,  Revs.  Basil  and  Basil   Jr.—  The    Baptist  Psatmody,    a 
Collection  of  Hymns  for  the  Worship  of  God. 


BLANKS. 


MARRIAGE  CERTIFICATES,  a  new  and  beautiful  article, 

with  a  silver  border. 

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RECOMMENDATIONS 

OP 

THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  JESUS. 

BY    DR.    CARSON. 


[From  the  Primitive  Church  Majrazine,  Londao.] 

"In  illustrating  this  glorious  theme  the  e/ilhor'a 
mind  expands  in  the  lull  strength  and  vicror  of  its  con- 
ceptions, and  pictures  realities  of  Divine  *.nth  almost 
too  brightly  to  be  beheld  with  the  eye  of  *eiti  undim- 
med. 

"  The  present  volume  ('  The  Knowledge  of  Jesus') 
is  full  of  invaluable  principles,  cast  in  an  attractive 
mould.  Every  page  lives  with  interest ;  there  is  no- 
thing dry,  nothing  tedious.  Its  style  flows  transparent 
and  free  as  die  mountain  stream." 

[From  the  Orthodox  Presbyterian,  Belfast.] 

KDITED    BY   DR.  EDGAR. 

"  On  matters  of  church  order,  it  is  well  known  we 
differ  from  him  ;  but  as  a  scholar  we  honor  him — as  a 
Christian  brother  we  embrace  him.  In  the  knowledge 
of  the  philosophy  of  the  language,  he  is  far  in  advance 
of  the  present  age  ;  and  with  respect  to  metaphysical 
acuteness  and  powers  of  reasoning,  he  has  been  called 
'  the  Jonathan  Edwards  of  the  nineteenth  century.' 
His  character  as  a  philosophic  theologian,  and  a  pro- 
found, original,  independent  thinker,  stands  in  the  very 
highest  rank;  and  Ke  is  only  justly  designated,  when 
tsidled  one  of  the  most  philosophic  reasoners  of  the  pres- 
»it  age." 

EDWARD  II,  FLETCHER,  Publisher, 

141  Nassau  St.,  N.  Y„ 


ALEXANDER    CARSON,   LL.D. 

THE  KNOVLEMeTf  JESU& 

The  most  Excellent  of  the  Sciences. 
BY  ALEXANDER  CARSON,  LL.D. 

{From  the  Lutheran  Observer.) 

This  Is  a  charming  book,  and  we  could  wish  it  were  in  every  Christian 
tamily.  The  author  is  a  writer  of  rare  merit :  learned,  philosophic,  pro- 
found, devout,  and  singularly  fluent  and  beautiful  in  his  style.  We  take 
great  pleasure  in  recommending  it.  He  has  been  called  "  the  Jonathan 
Edwards  of  the  nineteenth  century,"  and  those  who  read  this  admirable 
production  will  not  be  unwilling  to  admit  his  claim  to  this  distinguished 
compliment. 

(From  the  Religious  Herald,  Hartford.) 

This  is  a  book  of  vigorous  thought,  deserving  of  nttentive  perusal  and 
careful  study  by  ministers  and  intelligent  laymen.  It  discusses  in  a  con- 
densed manner  the  facts  respecting  God  and  His  government  which  are 
presented  by  nature,  and  then  passes  to  the  more  explicit  revelation  of 
the  fiible,  and  shows  the  identification  of  the  gospel  with  the  divine  char- 
acter, as  manifested  in  the  work  of  redemption  through  the  operation  of 
the  Trinity,  and  its  self-evident  truth. 

(From  the  Watchman  and  Reflector.) 

The  late  Dr.  Alexander  Carson,  of  Ireland,  possessed  an  intellect  of 
great  logical  power  and  a  heart  of  warm  affections.  His  works  are  hence 
characterized  by  depth  and  clearness  of  thought,  and  by  vigor  and  fervor 
of  expression.  His  views  of  the  gospel,  as  of  the  framework  and  ordi- 
nances of  the  church,  are  as  luminous  as  day.  The  present  volume  takes 
rank  among  the  best  of  the  productions  of  his  pen. 

(From  the  Congregalionalist.) 
The  work  shows  for  itself  that  it  was  written  by  a  man  of  bold  and 
strong  thought.     It  has  no  reference  to  the  distlnguiBhiitg  doctrines  of 
bis  own  denomination,  though  Dr.  Carson  has  some  celebrity  for  writings 
cl  0i;«  class. 

PUBLISHED    BY 

edward  n.  rr.FTcniu, 

141  NASSAU  STUEET,  NEW  YORK. 


COMPRISING, 

THE   HISTORY    OF    PROVIDENCE    AS    UNFOLDED    IN   THE 

ROOK    OF   ESTHER,  also,  Till'.   GO])   OF    PRO VIDENCE, 

THE  GOD  OF  THE  BIBLE,  and  also,  THE  TRUTH 

OF  THE  GOSPEL  DEMO:ssTRAT,l:D  FROM  THE 

CHARACTER     OF     GOD     MANIFESTED 

IN    THE    ATONEMENT. 

BY    ALEXANDER    CARSON. 

12mo.  cloth,  ['rice,  7o  cents. 

"  This  volume  contains  an  able  and  highly  interesting 
elucidation  of  the  wonderful  disclosures  of  divine  Provi- 
dence, narrated  in  the  book  of  Esther.  The  facts  re- 
corded in  that  book  reveal  the  unseen  hand  of  the  Most 
Iliizh,  directing  the  most  minute  events,  as  well  as  those 
esteemed  great,  to  accomplish  the  hallowed  purposes  of 
his  own  will.  The  work  before  us  draws  out  and  illus- 
trates this  consolatory  truth."—  Chii.  Observer." 

"We  have  already  in  former  numbers  of  the  Memo- 
rial, noticed  "  the  Life  of  Carson  "  by  Mr.  Moore,  and 
"  the  Knowledge  of  Jesus,"  written  by  Dr.  C.  We  have 
now  the  third  volume  in  the  series,  and  we  hope  there 
will  be  many  more,  if  they  are  all  as  good  as  the  one 
before"  us.  It  contains  a  clear,  cogent,  and  incontrovert- 
ible argument  in  favor  of  the  cardinal  doctrine  of  a  spe- 
cial Providence  of  God.  The  skeptic  maintains  that  all 
events  occur  in  accordance  with  the  general  laws  of 
nature:  but  Dr.  Carson  shows  conclusively,  that  even  in 
the  general  laws  of  his  government,  God  specially  super- 
intends them  so  that  particular  events  transpire  by  the 
efficiency  of  particular  agents,  and  usually  in  accordance 
•with  general  laws."— Bap.  Memorial. 


33 i h t n r ij  nf  ^xnihutt 

AS 

edaiofiss'lfisid  His  3§©S!OT©1!I  t 

OR   FACTS  FROM    SCRIPTURE 

ILLUSTRATIVE  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  GOD. 

BY  ALEXANDER  CARSON,  LL.  D. 

"  It  affords  us  great  pleasure  to  call  the  public  attention 
to  any  work  from  the  pen  of  this  great  and  good  man.  He 
wrote  much  and  powerfully  on  many  important  subjects 
connected  with  religion  ;  but  on  none  with  more  power, 
either  of  intellect  or  of  heart  than  the  Providence  of  God, 
as  developed  on  the  page  of  inspiration  or  common  experi- 
ence."— Mother 's  Journal. 

"  It  is  a  highly  instructive  book  ;  for  though  it  takes  all 
its  facts  from  the  Bible,  it  throws  them  into  a  brighter  light 
than  that  in  which  we  suppose  the  mass  of  Christians  even, 
have  been  accustomed  to  contemplate  them." — Puritan 
Recorder. 

"  It  embraces  a  series  of  investigations  into  the  inspired 
history  from  Genesis  to  the  Revelations.  It  exhibits  the 
accomplishment  of  the  Divine  purposes  even  with  respect 
t<>  incidents  the  most  minute,  during  a  course  of  thousands 
of  years.  No  theme  can  administer  more  efficiently  to  the 
strength  and  comfort  of  the  people  of  God  than  this  ;  and 
an  abler  mind  than  that  of  Carson,  the  philosopher  and 
Christian,  could  scarcely  address  itself  to  such  an  under- 
taking."— Southern  Baptist. 

"  The  Providence  of  God  like  his  "Word  is  an  inexhaus- 
tible mine  of  instruction  :  and  there  are  things  in  it  which 
"  they  thai  are  unlearned  and  unstable  wrest  as  they  do 
also  the  other  Scriptures  to  their  own  destruction."  The 
work  before  us  illustrates  in  a  series  of  chapters  the  mys- 
teries  of  Provident b  revealed  in  the  Bible.    The  tacts, 

happilv  selected  by  the  author  from  the  pages  ol  sacred 
history,  present  the  subject  in  its  more  impressive  and 
practical  relations." — Christian  observer. 


TUB 

LIFE  OF  ALEXANDER  CARSON,  LL.D. 

BY  EET.  GEORGE  C.  MOORE. 

OPINIONS    OF    THE    PRESS. 

(From  the  Independent,  N.  Y.) 

Mr.  Moore  has  rendered  a  good  service  to  the  memory 
of  his  preceptor  by  tbis  sketch  of  his  private  and  inward 
life,  and  he  has  rendered  also  a  service  hardly  less  valua- 
ble to  Christian  truth  and  charity. 


(From  the  Religious  Herald,  Richmond,  Vn.) 

This  is  an  interesting  work.  Indeed,  it  could  scarcely 
fail  to  be  so,  for  its  subject  was  not  only  one  of  the  most 
learned  and  able  theologians  of  our  own  denomination, 
but  one  of  the  great  men  of  the  present  age. 


{From  the  New  Tork  Tribune.) 

The  biography  of  that  eminent  scholar  and  divine  in  a 
style  of  unusual  vivacity  and  point. 

PUBLISHED    BY 

EDWARD  H.  FLETCHER, 

141  NASSAU  STREET,  NEW  Y0R3fc 


JCntt  ^nUinttbtis, 


Jftglrfs  unit  Itaimjpf, 

Or  Words  of  Comfort  addressed  to  those  who  are  sowing  in  tears 
and  shall  reap  in  joy.  By  John  Dowling,  D.  D.  "  Weeping  may 
endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  comelh  in  the  morning."  Contents  : — 
1.  Nights  of  weeping  and  mornings  of  joy.  2.  Night  of  convic- 
tion and  mornings  of  conversion.  3.  Night  of  desertion  and  morn- 
ing of  restoration.  4.  Night  of  trouble  and  morning  of  deliver- 
ance. 5.  Night  of  weariness  and  morning  of  Rest.  6.  Night  of 
death  and  morning  of  everlasting  life. 

Iltrtrjjrs  nf  n  tact  M^inttnrtr,. 

BY  REV.  GEO.  HATT. 

This  is  a  volume  of  experience,  of  facts  and  incidents  in  the 
path  of  personal  effort. 

€\jt  inning  sik  nf  i\)i  %'m, 

OR    JUVENILE    INFLUENCE. 
BY  J.  H.  ROSS. 

A  good  book  for  Boys  and  Girls. 

€\t  3Bitmrtgt  ftlrtnrntn  ; 

A  treatise  on  the  nature  of  Matrimony,  the  mutual  obligation* 

of  husband  and  wife,  with  appropriate  instruction  to  both, 

BY  REV.  S.  REMINGTON. 

Somp  are  put  up  with  a  neat  marriage  certificate,  folded  in  like  a 

a  map,  for  t lie  use  of  ministers  to  present  those  they  marry.    Price 

from  12£  to  75  cents,  according  to  the  style  of  binding. 

%Wk  nf  5lfrrit  $rnnrf,  Iniinr, 

A^ENT    OF   THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    MISSIONARY    UNION. 

By  Rev.  II.  Harvey.    12mo.    Trice,  75  Cents. 


/irtrjjrr'a  ^liMirntiniii 


MEMOIR  OF  ALFRED  BENNETT, 

FIRST   TASTOR   OF   THE 

PA'PTIST  CEUP.cn,  HOMER,  NEW  TORE, 

AND   SENIOR   AGENT   OF    THE 

AMERICAN    BAPTIST   MISSIONAY   UNION. 

BY  H.  HARVEY. 


[From  the  Christian  Chronicle.'] 

It  is  a  book  of  most  thrilling  interest.  The  engraving 
is  true  to  life,  and  is  worth  feci  more  than  the  cost  of  the 
volume  to  the  numerous  friends  6f  Mr.  Bennett.    Memoiats 

are  generally  dry  and  forma]  llanos,  but  this  is  fi  .striking 
exception.     There  is  not  a  page,  but  it  is  of  most  surj 
ing  interest.    Mr.  Bennett  was  indeed  a  remarkable  man — 
great  by  nature,  great  by  I  eefl   m  the  impres- 

sion made  on  tlie  world.  J  lis  experience  as  he  became 
a  Christian  in  early  life,  is  of  a  most  marked  nature, 
thoroughly  evincing  the  genuine  work  of  Clod  on  the  heart. 
Every  Christian  and  friend  of  missions  will  be  deeply 
interested  and  greatly  profited  by  reading  this  book. 


[From  the  True  Union.'] 

Those  who  knew  Father  Beriflett  personally^  will  natu- 
rally desire  to  learn  something  more  of  him.  His  lively 
and  ardent  feelings  t>(  devotion,  nis  strong  common  sense, 
his  great  energy  of  character,  his  unbending  integrity,  his 
fervent  zeal,  especially  in  the  cause  of  missions,  all  com- 
bine to  bespeak  for  the  Memoir  a  difigeM  and  careful  pe- 
rusal. To  young  ministers,  and  to  those  who  would  in  any 
way  make  themselves  useful  in  the  church  we  would  com- 
mend this  work.  Among  the  motives  to  purchase  a  copy 
may  be  mentioned  the  fact  that  a  share  oi  the  proceeds  of 
the  sale  go  to  the  widow  of  the  venerable  subject. 


Wubz  in  (£ a r ti 1 0 1 : 


on , 

THE  PATH  OF  WISDOM  MADE  PLAIN. 

BY  REVS. 

WILLIAM  W.  EVERTS,  J.  W.  ALEXANDER, 

WILLIAM  HAGUE,  G-.  W.  ANDERSON, 

GEORGE  B.    CHEEVER. 

"  This  is  a  most  capital  work  for  youns;  men.  It  coa- 
sists  of  essays  on  the  social  position  and  influence  of  cities  ; 
the  temptations  of  city  life;  young  men  of  cities  urged  to 
the  work  of  mental  employment;  the  theatre;  duties  of 
employers  and  employed;  punishment  not  preventive;  a 
plea  for  children  ;  and  the  Sabbath." — Lutheran  Observer. 

"These  discourses  have  been  prepared  in  view  of  the 
actual  necessities  and  dangers  of  the  times,  and  have  a  di- 
rect application  to  the  condition  of  thousands.  We  should 
be  glad  to  see  hundreds  of  copies  of  this  volume  in  the 
hands  of  our  Church  members  in  this  city;  for  we  ;ire  per- 
suaded its  careful  and  prajbrful  perusal  would  be  attended 
with  good  results  on  a  large  scale." — Central  Christian 
Herald,  Cin 

"  On  the  whole  this  is  one  of  the  most  useful  as  well  as 
attrRCtive  series  of  essays  which  have  fallen  under  our  no- 
tice."— Christia7i  News. 


-1 


WORDS  IN  EARNEST: 


OH, 


THE  PATH  OF  WISDOM  MADE  PLAIN 


BY    RKVDS. 


WILLIAM  W.  EVERTS, 
J.  W.  ALEXANDER, 
WILLIAM  HAGUE, 
G.  W.  ANDERSON, 
GEORGE  B.  CHEEVER. 


This  -work  has  been  elaborately  prepared,  and  makes  an 
excellent  book  for  young  people,  especially,  to  peruse. 


GiTf¥oois, 

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LIFE    OF    ALEXANDER    CARSON,  LL.D. 

BY  RI.V.  GEO.  C.  MOORE. 
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FOSTER  ON  MISSIONS. 

WITH 

AN  ESSAY  ON  THE  SKEPTICISM  OF  THE  CHURCH. 
BY  REV.   JOSEPH  P.   THOMPSON, 

PA8TOB  OF  THE  DKOADWAY  TABEBNACLE  CHUBCH. 

{From  the  New  York  Evangelist.) 

This  essay  of  Foster's  is  one  of  the  grandest  and  most  eloquent  of  all 
his  writings,  the  reproduction  of  which,  in  this  inviting  form,  will  do 
much  good.  The  missionary  work  assumes  a  dignity  and  importance, 
i;nder  the  glowing  tints  of  his  masterly  pencil,  which  ought  to  shame 
the  languid  interest  of  tho  church,  and  which  very  naturally  and  appro- 
priately suggests  Mr.  Thompson's  preliminary  essay  on  the  skepticism 
of  the  church.  This  essay  is  very  well  written,  and  an  impressive  pres- 
entation of  the  causes  and  effects  of  a  deficient  faith  in  the  promises  of 
God,  in  respect  to  the  world's  conversion.  The  work  is  neatly  printed, 
and  we  hope  will  find  many  readers. 

(From  the  New  York  Recorder.) 
This  is  the  suhstance  of  a  discourse  preached  by  its  celebrated  author, 
and  subsequently  prepared  by  him  for  the  press.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
able  and  comprehensive  discussions  of  the  subject  of  missions  that  has 
ever  been  written.  It  contains  that  remarkable  fragment  of  Foster's,  en- 
titled "God  Invisible,"  conceived  in  the  very  spirit  of  the  old  Hebrew 
prophets.  The  preliminary  Essay,  by  Kev.  J.  F.  Thompson,  adds  to  the 
value  of  the  original  work. 

(From  the  Baptist  Messenger.) 
John  Foster  on  Missions,  is  all  that  need  be  said.    To  say  more,  would 
.ielike  an  attempt  to  gild  the  sun. 

(From  the  Christian  Chronicle.) 

It  is  one  of  the  grandest  productions  of  its  author,  exhibiting,  in  a  high 
degree,  the  comprehensive  grasp  of  thought,  the  lolly  sweep  of  imagin- 
ation, and  the  rugged  and  massive  style  wliich  made  him  for  so  many 
years  the  acknowledged  Jupiter  Tonans  among  English  Dissenters. 

PUBLISHED    BY 

£UWAR»    If.    FI-ETCIIEB, 

141  NASSAU  STREET  MEW  YORK. 


THE 

m  A  IP  "2  n  3  S    IP  W  Ha  2?  II  IP 

OF    THE 

UNITED   STATES; 

CONSISTING   OF   ELOQUENT   AND    INSTRUCTIVE    PASSAGES    FROM 
THE    SERMONS    OF    200    BAPTIST    MINISTERS. 

By  JOSEPH   BELCHER,  ».  D. 
EMBELLISHED  WITH   FINE  PORTRAITS. 

"The  portraits  are  worth  more  than  the  cost  of  the  entire  work. 
2t  cannot  be  otherwise  .nan  gratifying  to  every  Baptist,  to  find 
that  the  leading  minds  of  his  denomination  hold  "  the  truth  as 
it  is  in  Jesus"  with  such  a  vigorous  grasp,  and  commend  it  to 
others  with  so  much  power.  The  passages  are  generally  &^ort, 
Dut  they  are  pure  gold/  — Baptist  Messenger. 

"This  publication  will,  we  think,  prove  interesting  to  Baptists 
everywhere." — Religious  Herald. 

"  The  selections  cover  the  whole  range  of  theology,  and  the 
volume  will  be  curious,  agreeable  and  useful." — N.  Y.  Recorder. 

"Its  editor  is  a  man  if  judgment  and  taste,  and  of  considera- 
ble distinction  as  an  author ;  and  as  it  regards  the  typography, 
nothing  better  can  be  asked  or  expected.  The  parties  have  oui 
best  wishes  for  their  encouragement  and  success.  Tho  moral 
effect  of  the  publication  cannot  fail,  of  course,  to  be  in  favor  of 
religion  and  virtue. " — Biblical  Recorder. 

EDWARD  II.  FLETCHER,  IWislifr, 

HI  Nassau  St.,  N.  Y 


BOWLING'S  CONFERENCE  HYMNS. 


The  publisher  begs  leave  to  submit  a  few  of  the  many  unsolicited  re- 
commendations of  this  Utile  volume,  which  have  been  received.  It  ia 
eminently  adapted  for  use  in  the  family,  and  for  private  devotion.  The 
low  price  brings  it  within  the  means  of  all,  and  its  large  type  adapts  it  to 
the  old  as  well  as  the  young. 

A  prominent  pastor  in  Illinois  writes:  "I  received  the  copy  of  Dr. 
Dowling's  hymns,  which  you  sent  me  some  time  ago.  I  have  examined 
them  thoroughly,  and  have  shown  them  to  many  others.  The  universal 
expression  is,  'This  is  just  the  book  we  want  in  the  West.  Here  are  the 
old,  soul-cherished  revival  hymns,  which  everybody  knows,  and  with 
which  everybody  is  delighted.'  The  mixed  nature  of  our  population 
here  renders  it  difficult  to  obtain  hymn  books  which  all  will  like.  But 
this  little  volume  is  almost  known  to  all  by  heart,  whether  from  the  east, 
west,  north,  or  south.  The  hymns  are  those  which  almost  every  Chris- 
tian has  learned  and  loved  ;  not  for  their  poetic  elegance,  but  for  their 
spirit  and  good  religious  sentiment.  I  have  also  taken  pains  to  obtain 
copies  of  the  Social  Psalmist,  the  Christian  Melodist  (by  Br.  Banvard), 
and  the  Baptist  Harp.  These  are  generally  very  good,  but.  everybody 
says  Dr.  Dowling's  hymns  are  the  ones  for  the  West  to  use  in  conference, 
prayer,  and  inquiry  meetings.  Thousands  of  them  can  be  sold  iu  this 
State,  if  they  are  introduced." 

From  Rev.  John  M  Peck,  qt  Missouri. 
"  It  is  exactly  sucb  a  book  as  thousands  want  and  will  buy  in  these 
great,  central  States." 

From  the  Vermont,  dnzette. 
"This  work  is  desiened  especially  to  meet  a  want  existing  in  the  Bap- 
Cist  rit-iomi'iKiti.Mi.  The  high  literary  character  of  the  author  is  a  sure 
guarantee  in  tins  respect.  But.  after  all.  it  is  not  so  much  finely  finished 
sentences  as  soul-stirring  truths,  hymned  by  warm  hearts,  that  impart 
to  the  social  interview  its  greatest  zest  " 

Prom  thp  Michigan  Christian  Herald. 
"  From  a  hasty  examination,  we  should  think  that  Mr.  Dowling  had  ex- 
ecuted tiie  work  in  a  judicious  manner." 

From  the  Baptist  Memorial, 
♦'The  people  generally  will  say — give  us  the  old-fashioned  hymns,  if 

the  poetry  is  not  quite  as  g i:  while  some  critics  will  think  otherwise 

Most  of  the  hymns  are,  however,  unobjectionable  in  respect  to  poetic 
merit." 

Front  tfi"  Western  Christian  Journal. 
"Hymn  bonks  air  multiplying,  hut  we  shall   be  mistaken  ~'f  '.his  does 
Dot  prove  to  lie  s  popular  collection.     It  contains  360  hymns  and  many 
of  them  tiie  sweetest  in  tie  language." 

From  I:  ■    <  jy. 

f  We  can  cheerfully  commend  this  I ioi  k  to'the  churches,  as  being 

pre-eratiueuUy  adapted  to  the  purposes  lor  which  it  is  designed." 

EDWAHD  II.  FLETCHER,  Publisher, 

Ul  Nassau  St..  N.  Y, 


THE  CONVERSATIONAL  COMMENTARY 

COMBINING 

THE  QUESTION-BOOK  AND  EXPOSITION. 

DESIGNED  FOR  THE  USE  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS  AXD  FAMILIES. 

Vol.  It,  on  Matthew. 
Vol.  II.,  on  John. 
Vol.  III.,  on  tlie  Acts. 


BY  WILLIAM   HAGUE. 


"  The  plan  of  Dr.  Hague  in  these  several  books  to  nx-ftiS 
the  wants  of  the  higher  classes  in  t^alihatli-sehools,  we  have 
never  seen  surpassed  nor  even  equalled  by  any  other  author, 
according  to  our  taste  and  judgment." — Christian  Chronicle. 

"  It  is  a  species  of  Commentary  quite  original,  combining 
all  the  most  valuable  results  of  arCheological  and  critical 
learning,  without  the  lumber  and  parade  which  often  render 
the  perusal  of  the  ordinary  Commentaries  and  '  notes '  an 
onerous  and  unwelcome  task.  Mr.  Hague's  plan  renders 
everything  clear,  impressive,  and  practical,  so  that  the  mind 
is  held,  by  an  increasing  interest,  to  those  truths  which  are 
most  important  to  be  remembered." — West        W<     iman, 

"  The  method  of  imparting  instruction  in  this  book  is  a 
novel  hut  happy  one.  The  author  remarks  in  bis  preface, 
'  The  teacher  who  would  give  instruction  in  any  department 
»f  knowledge  so  as  to  awaken  in  his  scholar  a  spirit  of  in- 
quiry, cannot  easily  sntisty  himself  with  abrupt  and  insu- 
lated questions;  in  order  to  arouse  the  mind  to  anion  and 
briiiir  himself  into  sympathy  with  it.  he  mvLSb cotnmwtoi 
something.  The  remark  which  imparts  knowledge,  quickens 
thought,  and  then  conversation  proa  eds  with  a  rational  ind 
flow.'" — Michigan  C  Herald. 

Published  by  EDWARD  H.  FLETCHEB, 
1J1  Nassau  New  York. 


THE 


BAPTIST  SCRIPTURAL  CATiuHISM 


ITaving  examined  the  Baptist  Scriptural  Catechism  prepared  by  Rev. 
II.  C.  Fish,  we  cordially  recommend  it  to  the  churches.  Drfieving  it  to 
possess  peculiar  excellences ;  among  which  may  be  mentioned  especially 
the  following  : 

1.  It  is  based  upon  the  catechetical  plan  of  instruction. 

2.  The  "eneral  use  of  Scriptural  language  in  the  answers. 

3.  An  important  peculiarity  ofthis  vrelrk  is,  that  it  contains  anextendeil 
examination  of  the  evidences  of  Christianity — a  department  of  biblical 
Instruction  which  has  been  too  much  ni  gli  cl  sd. 

We  earnestly  hope  that  it  may  be  generally  adopted  by  our  Sabbath 
Schools. 


S.  H.  CONE.           Pastor  of  First  Baptist  Church, 

New  York. 

S  REMINGTON, 

« 

Stanton  St. 

Bap. 

Ch. 

ii 

JOHN  DOWLING, 

« 

Broadway 

it 

it 

ii 

W.  S  CLAIM*. 

it 

Olive  Branch 

i  " 

n 

it 

LEVI  PARMELY, 

it 

SiiiK.ii 

ii 

it 

it 

A.  D.  GILLETTE, 

a 

Eleventh 

it 

« 

Philadelphia. 

B.T.MIDDLED1TCH 

tt 

N 

ti 

Lyons  Farms,  N.  J 

WM.B.  TOLAN, 

H 

N 

it 

Morristown,        " 

DAVID  B.  STOUT, 

it 

First 

(1 

it 

Middletown,       ** 

WM.  H.  TURTON, 

ti 

it 

it 

Elizabethtown.   '\ 

J.  M.  CARPENTER, 

u 

(t 

it 

Perth  Amboy     • 

JOHN  TEASDALE, 

11 

it 

ti  ■ 

;  Schooley's 
'    Mountain, 

H.  V.  JONES, 

II 

it 

it 

Piscataway,        " 

D.  HENRY  MILLER, 

11 

1 

Mt.  Olivet 

n 

tt 

Yonkers,       N.  T 

SAMUEL  WHITE, 

11 

First 

it 

ti 

Staten  Island,     " 

D.  F.  LEACH, 

11 

it 

it 

Port  Jervis,       H 

C.  A.  BUCKBEE, 

«1 

(t 

it 

Conway,  Mass. 

L.  O.  GRENELL,  Missionary  to  California. 

The  first  volume  is  designed  for  the  younger  members  of  the  Sabbafrl 
School,  and  the  language  is  simple  and  plain.     Price  50cts.  per  dozen. 

Volume  second  is  for  those  more  advanced,  and  contains  a  review  of 
ttw  4«ctrines  and  evidences  of  Christianity.    Price  SI  20cts  per  dnzMn 

EDWARD  K.  FLETCHER,  Publisher, 

141  Nassau  St.,  N.  If 


CHEAP  CASH    BOOK   STORE, 

EDWARD    H.    FLETCHER, 

Kc.  141  Nassau  street, 

NEW  YORK. 

Has  constantly  on  hand,  at  wholesale  and  retail,  a  general 
assortment  of  Theological,  Classical,  Miscellaneous,  School 
and  Blank  lioofes  and  Stationery. 

A  complete  Depository  of  Sabbath  School  Books. 

Booksellers,  Traders,  Teachers,  Schools,  Academies  and 
Individuals  supplied,  wholesale  and  retail,  on  the  most  lib- 
eral terms. 

Religious  books  of  every  variety  which  are  to  be  found 
in  the  market,  may  be  obtained  here  at  the  very  lowest 
prices. 


SECOXMAXD   BOORS. 


Valuable  Standard  Theological  and   other  Books  from 
private  libraries  will  be  sold  at  a  fraction  of  the  price  oi 


new. 


MARRIAGE   CERTIFICATES. 

A  now  nnd  beautiful  article,  with  a  silver  border,  sam- 
ples of  whiih  will  bo  sent  gratis  to  post-paid  applications. 
Published  by 

EDWARD   H.  FLRTCIIER, 

A'o.  141  Nassau  street. 


The  copartnership  heretofore  existing  between  the  Sub- 
scribers, under  the  firm  of  LEWIS  COLBY  &  COM- 
PANY, is  this  day  dissolved  by  mutual  consent.  All  ac- 
counts will  be  settled  by  Lewis  Colby,  who  is  authorized 
to  use  the  name  of  the  firm  in  liquidation. 

LEWIS  COLBY. 

EDWARD  H.  FLETCHER. 

Aisic  Yoric,  September  5tk.y  1848. 


CIRCULAR, 


The  subscriber  respectfully  announces  to  his  friends  and 
the  public  that  he  has  opened  a  store  at  141  Nassau  street, 
I   where  he  will  continue  the  same  line  of  the  BOOKSELL- 
ING and  PUBLISHING  business  which  has   been  pur- 
sued by  the  late  firm. 

Having  been  regularly  br;d  to  the  business,  added  to 
which  is  his  experience  i?  .he  late  concern  from  its  com- 
mencement, he  feels  confides  that  he  can  oiler  to  his  patrons 
advantageous  terms. 

The  primary  object  of  this  establishment  will  be  the  pub- 
lication and  sale  of  Religious  Books. 

A  large  assortment  of  Sabbath  ScMool  Book9  will  be 
kept,  and  to  this  department  much  attention  will  be  paid. 
If  Sabbath  Schools,  wishing  to  replenish  their  libraries,  or 
to  purchase  new  ones,  will  forward  their  funds,  and  a  list 
of  such  books  as  they  already  have,  their  orders  will  re- 
ceive prompt  attention,  and  the  selection  will  be  carefully 
made. 

Also  will  be  kept,  School  and  Blank  Books,  and  Sta- 
tionery of  every  variety— Sermon  Paper,  Marriage  Certifi- 
cates, &c. 

Foreign  Books  imported,  for  a  small  commission. 

jpf  A  liberal  discount  will  be  made  to  Booksellers, 
Ministers,  and  Teachers. 

EDWARD   H.  FLETCHER. 
New  York,  September  23d,  1849. 


CONVERSATIONAL  COMMENTARY,  1 


i; 


COMBINING  THE 


QUESTION-BOOK  AND   EXPOSITION. 


DESIGNED    FOR 


BIBLE  CLASSES,  SABBATH  SCHOOLS,  AND  FAMILIES. 


GOSPEL  ACCOEDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


BY 


WILLIAM      HAGUE, 


In  fr»?e  diflfoiirne,  new  thought*  ftre  struck  nut,  and  'he  se«a*i  of  truth  jpsrMe  *nt) 

.  in  calm  an                      ng  would  nw  ■  --r««- 

v  mi  titiih  give.  <i,  Hiitl  blnk- 
u^afaiuat  each  otoer,  produce  living  ftre  oo  both,  side*. — Da.  Wj  .  n. 


NEW    YORK: 

1 :  D  \V  A  R  D    II .    F  L  E  T  CHE  R  . 

1851. 


^MmMM^MMMMMMM   : 


<§! 


I 


1 

if 


<1 


H 

I 


•S3 


THE 

BAPTIST 

SCRIPTURAL  CATECHISM. 

FOR  THE    USE  OF    SABBATH   SCHOOLS 

AND   BIBLE   CLASSES. 

VOLUME   I. 

CONTAINING   GREAT  TRUTHS  IN  SIMPLE  WORDS;    *OR 

THE  YOUNGER  MEMBERS  OF  SABBATH  SCHOOLS. 

BY    HENRY    C.  FISH, 

Pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church,  Somenrille,  N.  J. 

NEW    YORK: 

EDWARD    H.    FLETCHER, 

141    NASSAU    STREET. 

mwmwwwww^wwwwc^ 


5 


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v  V  ,.  V sJ/Vsi  are  sowing  in  tears  and  shall  reap  in  joy.    By 

<%<>-f>  John-  Howling,  D.  I).     "Weeping  may  en- 

'  ~\:  *\  .~J  'lure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the  morn- 

>?":N\ry.  in!,'."     Contents:— 1.  Nights  of  weeping  and 

<><>  mornings  of  joy.     2.  Night  of  conviction  and  5^«S*k_5 

fj  ';\J.\  morning  of  conversion.    3.  Night  of  desertion  'A '"A 'A' 

':  ;,Y;  and  morning  of  restoration.     4.  Night  of  trou-  ^Slv^SS 

<><><>  ble  and  morning  of  deliverance.     5.  Night  ol  ■<''':- <t>-<f''> 

f  AJ.A. '  .* ■&  weariness  and  morning  of  rest.     6.  Night  of  '  I  ' ;  I  "  1  i 

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i  1  ..  *  ,   JN  This  is  a  volume  of  experience,  of  facts  and  ;  YJ  '•"     Y  . 

fy1"  %"'"'>■*'  incidents  in  the  path  of  personal  effort.  <><><> 

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A  good  book  for  Boys  and  Girls.     ISmo.,  40  <  X  ><  > 

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